A Dead Girl's Diary
by thelonelyapple
Summary: Alice and Bella are two (human) friends. One day, Bella unexpectedly dies at her boyfriend, Edward's, house. Alice receives a diary that used to belong to Bella. The strange thing is that it claims Edward is not human. Alice struggles to find out the truth, and learns that Bella may not be dead. She tries to find Bella and realizes she's only begun her quest for answers.
1. Chapter 1

I slowly exited the room and walked to my car, blinking tears away. _What a stupid way to die, _I thought as I drove away. Of course, I didn't mean any disrespect by that. But, seriously, choking on food? I don't think about death often, but Bella, my best friend, deserved much better than this. Now that I think about it, she should have married Edward, her boyfriend, and lived a long, happy life with him and have died peacefully in her sleep after she got old.

_Edward,_ I remembered. He must be really messed up about and Bella had only dated for about a year, but it was obvious to anyone that they truly loved each other. Edward had always been the quiet one at our lunch table, where he, Bella, and I sat with Mike, Angela, and Ben. It was clear that he only sat there because of Bella. I remembered how he used to sit before Bella arrived at the school, always alone at the table in the corner. And now, Bella had died right before his eyes, as she was at his house when she choked. I had heard from Angela that he, Dr. Cullen, and Mrs. Cullen had moved somewhere to be closer to the other children. Bella had told me that Edward had three other adopted siblings, whom I had never met because they were in college.

_I met them for the first time yesterday, _she had said one rainy Monday morning. _They're all so nice. There's Emmett, who's like the big brother I never had. Then there's Rosalie, who's the most beautiful person I have ever met. I don't think she liked me too much though...and there's Jasper. I didn't talk to him much, but he's very...influential. _

I sighed recalling the memory. I was at home now, and I went straight to my room. Bella wasn't the first loved one that was dead. My mother and my younger sister, Cynthia, had died last year in a car crash, and I was still struggling to cope. My father had immersed himself in his job after they died, so I didn't see him much, either. Bella was always the one I would go to when I needed advice or comfort. And now she's gone forever. I got into bed, and silently cried myself to sleep.

The next two weeks were dull. I stayed at home all the time except when I went to school, and then I went through it in a zombie-like state, not caring about the world around me. I still ate lunch with Mike, Angela, and Ben, but we sat in silence, grieving for Bella and missing Edward.

It was Saturday before I knew it. I wasn't even sure of the date, beyond caring. I wouldn't have even known it was Saturday if I knew I didn't have school. I was at home alone, and the doorbell rang. I went and opened it, not even checking to see who it was.

"Hey, Alice," greeted Charlie, his eyes red from crying, and his clothes rumpled. I was sure I looked similar. Usually, I wouldn't dare wear anything but a cute outfit complete with makeup and accessories, but this was the exception.

"Hi, Charlie," I said. He was struggling under the weight of a huge cardboard box. "Do you want to come in and put that down for a minute?"

"Actually," he said, "I'm just dropping this off. It's just some of Bella's books and other things. She would want you to have them."

"Um, okay," I responded. Bella's books were extremely precious to her. I wasn't sure if I deserved it.

_Better than letting anyone else have them, _I thought. Charlie put down the box and left. I somehow managed to drag the box upstairs to my room, as there was no way I could lift it with my small build.

The box stayed in the corner of my room for days. I was almost afraid to touch it. The box was like a constant reminder of Bella's death. Finally, after a week, I got the courage to lift up the cardboard flap. I peered inside, and laughed. In it were all of Bella's favorites. I picked up her worn copy of Wuthering Heights and lovingly stroked the cover before placing it on my desk. I went through all the familiar titles, because they had been on Bella's bookshelf for years. At the bottom was was a brown leather-bound book that was unfamiliar. I looked on the front and spine for a title, but there wasn't any. I opened it, and Bella's clumsy handwriting greeted me. I realized that it was a diary.

One name on the first page immediately jumped out at me- Jacob Black. It wasn't a name I'd heard before. I started reading. There was no "Dear Diary" or anything.

_Today, I went to First Beach with some friends and met an old family friend there- Jacob Black. He's the son of Billy Black, an old friend of Charlie's. There were some other boys with him, too. Lauren sneered and asked me where the Cullens were, like she was trying to provoke me. One boy, the biggest, more like a man, said that the Cullens didn't come there. Of course, I was curious. The way he had said it made it sound like the Cullens weren't allowed there. I tried to flirt with Jacob to trick it out of him, and it seemed to have worked. We took a walk along the beach and he told me stories- Quileute legends. I wasn't really paying attention to most, waiting for when he would mention the Cullens. Finally, he told me of the "cold ones"- pale, beautiful creatures that hunted humans for their blood- also known as vampires. He went on to explain how one coven claimed that they survived off the blood of animals, and meant no harm to humans. Then, he said that the Quileutes had a treaty with this coven, laying down land limits and a few rules. They agreed, and they lived peacefully with the Quileutes. I was confused about how this had anything to do with Edward, but then Jacob said that the Cullens were the coven he was talking about. I wasn't quite sure if it was true. Edward? A vampire? But the details had matched what I had observed about him. I went home and fell asleep, thinking about these things._

_I had the strangest dream. I don't remember much, but I do remember that I was trying to find the sun. Suddenly, Jacob appeared in front of me. He was pulling me away from the sun, telling me to run. I refused, and Jacob yelped and turned into a reddish-brown wolf right in front of me. Then, Edward walked into the area where we were. He seemed to be almost...glowing. He looked just like he did in real life, except now he had fangs. He beckoned me, but before I had the chance to respond, Jacob lunged for his throat. I woke up screaming. I had been scared, not for the wolf, but for Edward. _

_I couldn't go back to sleep, thinking about Jacob's story. I turned to a source for all information- the internet. Most of it was just stuff from movies or books, but I found something on a site called Vampires A-Z. It gave descriptions of hundreds of types of vampires. I thought about what I knew about Edward so far. He was abnormally strong and fast, as I had observed when he had saved me from Tyler's car, and his eyes changed color. That was pretty much it. _

_I scrolled through the types of vampires. There were many, but none of them matched my description perfectly. I came across one entry that stood out from the others- _

_Stregoni Benefici- An Italian vampire, said to be on the side of goodness, and a mortal enemy of all evil vampires. _

_Well, Edward didn't seem to be bad. He hadn't tried to hurt me, at least. _

_I realized this was stupid. Was I seriously searching up vampires? I decided to take a walk in the woods._

The entry ended abruptly there. I closed the diary. Edward, a vampire? Impossible. I was sure this was just a story or something Bella had written for fun.

But...was it? The way Bella's words flowed, made it seem so real. Bella was a horrible liar, and she didn't have it in her to write such a realistic fiction story.

But, of course, Edward wasn't a vampire. That was silly. I should've read more, but I needed to absorb what I had read.

I decided to do what Bella did, use the Internet. I opened the laptop on my white desk and sat down in the purple chair.

I opened up a search engine and studied the diary. First, I needed to find if this Jacob Black was real. Bella had never mentioned him to me, nor had she talked about Billy Black.

I typed in 'Jacob Black Washington.' As expected, a whole page of results came up. I found a link leading to a Facebook profile. I clicked on it and studied the profile picture. There was a very tall boy smiling happily in front of a little red house. I scrolled through his posts. Most were of him and his friends. I stopped at one. There was a picture of him and Bella, making funny faces at the camera. I recognized the place as Bella's kitchen. According to the date, it was taken last year. So this was proof that there was, indeed, a Jacob Black, and he did know Bella.

I opened a new tab and searched up 'Vampires A-Z.' The top link was for a website called that. I clicked on it and explored the site a bit. It seemed to be the same one Bella described.

Was that enough proof for me? I wasn't sure. What I guessed was that Jacob had told Bella a legend about the cold ones, but hadn't mentioned the Cullens at all. Bella, interested by his story, went to find out more about vampires. She had come across this site and came up with the idea of making Edward a vampire in her story.

Right?


	2. Chapter 2

I jerked up in bed. My room was pitch-black. I had had a nightmare with Edward in it. He had his mouth open, fangs poised near Bella's throat. I had screamed and tried to stop him, but I had been too late. I saw him suck the life out of her as she lay limp in his arms.

Despite my wild dream, one thing jumped out at me: could this have been how Bella had died?

I quickly got rid of that thought. Edward was not a vampire, I told myself once again.

I couldn't go back to sleep now, though. I got up and peered out the window. Though it was only 5:30, my dad's car was gone, just like any other day of the week. After my mom and Cynthia had died, he had started leaving early and coming back late, going off to wherever he went.

I sighed, ran my hands through my short black hair, and looked around the room. My gaze landed on the diary.

I stared at it. Suddenly, I got an idea. I made breakfast and slowly ate it. When it was 9:30, I got in my car and drove to La Push.

I knew Embry Call, because his mom worked at the store and I would sometimes see him there. We hadn't really talked before, just simple greetings. But I knew he was friends with Jacob, according to Jacob's Facebook profile. I could ask Embry where Jacob lived and visit him, and confront him about the diary.

I opened the door to Mrs. Call's store. "Hello, Alice," she said, smiling.

"Hi, Mrs. Call," I greeted back. "Is Embry here?"

She looked mildly surprised. "Sure. He's in the back."

I thanked her and scurried off. He was exiting just as I was about to open the door, and we crashed into each other.

"Hey, sorry," he said, pulling me up. "Didn't see you there."

"It's okay," I said. "I need to ask you something super important."

"Sure," he said hesitantly, probably wondering why I was talking to him now.

"Do you know where Jacob Black lives?"

He looked surprised for a second before his expression changed to a nervous one. "I do. But he's not at home right now."

"When will he be back?" I asked.

He shrugged. "I don't know. Probably not for a few months."

I frowned slightly at him. "And where did he go for this long?"

He avoided my gaze. "A vacation."

"Where?" I pushed.

"I don't know," he said again, though it was clear he did.

I knew I wasn't going to get anything more out of Embry. I thanked him and stalked away.

"Wait," he said, grabbing my arm as I started to exit. "Why do you want to know?"

"Reasons," I said vaguely and went away.

At home, I sat cross-legged on my bed and picked the diary up. I wondered if I should read more or not. The first part had given me nightmares. What would the rest do?

Suddenly, I saw myself in my mind reading it. I didn't look horrified or scared, just very interested in whatever she had written.

The vision disappeared. I silently counted in my head. That was the eleventh one this month. I had an unusual ability to sometimes see visions of the future. It wasn't big things, usually, just small and not far into the future. No one had known this except for my mother. She had encouraged me to keep track of when it happened, to see how often the visions occurred. Interestingly, they had increased as I grew older. It evened out when I was almost fourteen, but after Mom and Cynthia had died, the visions per month spiked up again. Last month, I had had eighteen visions, much different than before they had died, when the average was about seven.

I didn't tell my father about my ability for good reasons. Firstly, he wouldn't believe me. And if I did prove it to him, he would see it as a curse, not like a gift like my mom had.

I opened the diary, skipping past the part I had already read. I leaned back against the purple wall and began to read.

_I began to wonder if agreeing to go to Seattle with Edward was a mistake. I felt so confused about him. His emotions were everchanging, one day pretending I didn't exist, the next wanting to be friends. I knew Jacob's story was close to unbelievable, but I had always known Edward was anything but human. But I was still hesitant to believe that he was a vampire. So I decided that there was a possibility that he could be a "cold one," an enemy of the werewolf. _

_But if it was true, what would I do? That was harder to answer. I could always follow his advice and avoid him. But for some reason, the thought of staying away from Edward seemed impossible to me. I could not stay away from this strange boy. After all, he hadn't hurt me yet, so he couldn't be all bad…_

_The rest of the day passed in a swirl of chores. The next morning, I noticed that Edward was not at school. I felt disappointment, much more than I should have felt. Angela, Jessica, and I made plans to go to Port Angeles so they could shop for dresses. We went after school, and it felt good to leave Forks behind for a while, along with my other worries. _

_After we shopped, Ang and Jess decided to walk by the beach before we would eat dinner. I decided to go hunt for a bookstore instead. _

_As I was unfamiliar with the town, it took a while before I found a store, but it definitely was not what I was looking for. I continued walking. The sun was starting to set. _

_I noticed four men who were near me, dressed in ratty clothing. One of them called out a greeting to me, and I responded- an automatic reaction. I went on. _

_Later, I noticed that they were following me. My heart pounded as I walked faster, hoping to lose them. Soon, they slowed down, maybe noticing that they had scared me. In my rush to avoid them, I hadn't noticed that two members of their group was missing. _

_I rounded a corner, and stopped. The two other men were casually there, waiting for me. I realized they hadn't been chasing me, but surrounding me. _

_I quickly skimmed through basic self-defense in my head. Besides fighting, my only other options were to scream or run. Running wouldn't get me very far with my clumsiness, and there was no one to hear me scream. _

_Suddenly, a silver car zoomed towards us. I jumped in front- I recognized this car. _

_Edward stopped and told me to get in, which I did gladly. He slammed down the pedal and we went off. He seemed to be mad...no, not just mad, furious. _

_I wondered how he had known where I was. He drove me to La Bella Italia, the place where I was supposed to meet my friends. _

Once again, there was an abrupt stop to the entry. Just like Bella, I was wondering how Edward had known where she was. And Bella had never told me about these four men who had tried to hurt her. I remember I had unfortunately been sick the day Jess, Ang, and Bella invited me to go with them, otherwise I would've been there. I would never miss a shopping trip.

I guess I would have to find out what happened next.


	3. Chapter 3

As I was just turning the page, I heard the doorbell ring. "Coming!" I screamed and threw the diary on the bed before walking over.

When I opened the door, I was greeted by none other than a drenched, shirtless Embry. "Alice," he said.

I stared at him in surprise.

"Can I...come in?" he asked, blinking against the raindrops.

"Uh, yeah, sure," I said. He stepped inside.

"Look, Alice. I need to know why you wanted to see Jake," he said.

I tilted my chin up. "That's none of your business."

He huffed. "Listen. I really, really need to know."

"Why?"

"Because…" he paused. "I feel like this has something to do with Bella's...death." I noticed he had hesitated before saying 'death'.

"Maybe it does," I said to him. "So?"

He bit his lip and avoided my gaze.

"You know something," I accused. "You know and you're not telling me."

"I can't," he said. "Listen, I have no idea how well you knew Bella, but-"

"She was my best friend!" I cut him off. "I knew her better than you do, that's for sure."

He backtracked. "No, that's not what I meant."

I threw my hands up in frustration. "Then, please, tell me what you do mean, because I have no idea!"

He sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Just, please, tell me why you want to see Jake. I know you don't know him."

I was going to tell him to go away, when I stopped. Maybe, if I told him a bit, Embry could help me. "Because...I think Bella was hiding something from everyone else." Even if Edward wasn't really a vampire, why would she feel the need to write about him being one? Something was definitely up.

He raised an eyebrow. "What?"

I shook my head. "I don't know. She wrote about Edward being…" I stopped myself. Luckily, I hadn't completed my sentence. Still, I knew I had let too much slip.

He seemed to choke. "Wait...so she...you…"

"You know what she said, don't you?" I said angrily.

He composed himself. "No, I don't," he calmly said.

"You're a horrible liar, Embry Call," I said.

"Maybe I do, then," he shrugged. "Regardless, I can't help you. I wish I could. Sorry."

I leaned back on the couch and closed my eyes. I heard him leave and close the door behind him.

I didn't find it scary that Embry had known. He was, after all, a part of the tribe. He was probably one of the bigger believers of the legends about the Cullens being vampires. But that would mean that Jacob did mention the Cullens when telling Bella about vampires.

I stalked back upstairs, opened the diary, and started reading.

_Jessica and Angela were just leaving when we arrived. Edward told them that he would buy me dinner then drive me home. And so they left, and we were alone. _

_We went inside, and the waitress tried to flirt with him. Badly. _

_Edward asked if I was okay. I assured him I was- after all, I felt safe with him. _

_I told him I had noticed something else about him- when his eyes were gold, he was a much better mood than when they were black. He was interested in my theory about that. I told him I would tell him later. _

_I asked, indirectly, if he could read minds. He confirmed that, but told me that he couldn't read my mind. I found that interesting. Why me? _

_He finally explained why he was in Port Angeles. He was protecting me, he said, but also reminded me that he was dangerous, too. _

_I believed that Edward was dangerous, not bad. He hadn't hurt me or anyone else as far as I knew._

_On the way back, he explained more about the mind reading, how he could tell one mental voice from the thousands of others. _

_Finally, I told him my theory- the on about him being a vampire. He took it surprisingly well, except for when I told him it didn't matter to me. _

_He seemed angry and yelled about how it should matter, about how he could kill me. _

_He finally cooled down. He confirmed that he did hunt animals instead of humans. I asked why. He explained that he didn't want to be a monster. _

_He dropped me home and left. _

The entry ended there. I thought about one thing that had stood out to me in Bella's words- her claim about Edward being a mind reader. It had always seemed like he knew what everyone was thinking in an eerie way. He himself had once said that he was exceptionally good at reading people. Could it really have been something more?


	4. Chapter 4

If Edward was a mind reader, then did that mean all other vampires were, too? I was, frankly, completely confused by all this. I wasn't prepared to say that Edward was a vampire, but it was getting to be more and more likely with each entry.

The doorbell rang, and I got up and answered. It was Embry again, this time with a man who seemed somewhat familiar. Embry's expression was apologetic, while the man showed no emotion. I finally remembered his name- Sam Uley. What was he doing here?

"Can I help you?" I said to them.

"Let me see the diary," said Sam.

I crossed my arms. "No."

He looked angry. "Please."

"No," I said.

"Sam," said Embry. "Even if she knows, then what could we do about it? I agree that Bella told Alice about vampires and our kind, breaking the treaty. But is it still in place?"

Their kind?

"The treaty is always in place," Sam growled.

"Sam, I know you. You wouldn't attack the Cullens, would you? They're our allies," protested Embry. "And what about Nessie? We can't attack her. You know what will happen to Jake if she gets hurt or killed."

Who was Nessie? And why did she matter so much to Jacob? Why were the Cullens allied with the Quileutes if they hated the Cullens? So many questions swirled around in my head.

"Look," I said. "Can someone please just explain to me what's going on?"

"No," said Sam firmly. "Embry, we should leave now. But be warned, Alice Brandon, we will be watching you." He turned and left. Embry smiled weakly at me and followed Sam.

I closed the door. Sam and Embry had just confused me even more. And what Sam said about them "watching me?"

My only source for answers now was the diary. I skipped up the stairs to my room and flipped to the page I was on.

_That night, I realized three things. Firstly, Edward was a vampire. And he wanted my blood- badly. And finally, the thing that I was most reluctant to admit- I was hopelessly in love with him. _

_He picked me up for school the next morning, which excited me much more than it should have. Of course, Jessica wanted to know all the details about the previous night's events. Edward warned me and told me that he would be listening, against my protests. When Jessica asked me, I tried to be as vague as possible. Still, she pressed on, asking how much I liked Edward. I told her that I cared for him much more than he cared for me. Finally, the questions stopped. _

_At lunch, I sat with Edward. Curious, I asked him what would happen if he ate food. He took a bite and told me it was like eating dirt. _

_He asked me if I really thought that I cared for him more than he cared for me. I told him I did really think that. He said I was wrong, and asked why I thought that. I explained how I was just an ordinary human girl, and he was...him. _

_He replied and said that I didn't see myself very clearly. Soon, the topic changed and we started talking about the Seattle trip. He asked if I wanted to spend the day with him, and that he would show me what happened to his kind in the sun. _

_We started talking about how he fed. Apparently, he and Emmett had gone to Goat Rocks last week to hunt bears. I imagined Edward hunting, his teeth sinking into the fur and flesh of a giant grizzly. I had to admit, it scared me a little, mesmerizing as it was. _

_After school, I asked if I could see him hunt. He immediately said no. He explained that while his kind hunted, they followed their senses more than their minds, and that if he were to lose control around me in that way, death was surely in my future. _

_All of the next day, he asked me questions. About my favorites, about Renee, about Arizona...the list went on. _

_When he dropped me home, I realized we had unexpected guests- Jacob and Billy. I hoped, more than anything, that Billy had not seen who was in the car with me. Unfortunately, the answer was clear in his eyes- he did see, and he believed in the legends, unlike Jacob. _

The entry stopped. This one had touched a topic that hadn't been mentioned before- Edward's hunting habits. Of course, he would use his fangs, like any other vampire. That is, if he was one. And Bella had said that Edward would show her what happened to him in the sun...from what I knew on traditional vampires, they turned into ash. But of course, Edward wouldn't agree to show Bella if that was what would happen.

With Bella's diary entries and Embry's and Sam's cryptic conversation, I was starting to believe in this much more than I should. I shuddered as I realized something...could there really have been vampires living in Forks?


	5. Chapter 5

I stared blankly at the diary. There had to be someone who knew about it and could tell me more. If only Bella were alive, and I could ask her…

Then it struck me. It was so obvious I had wondered how I hadn't seen it before.

Charlie.

I wasn't sure if Bella had told Charlie anything, but he might know. I ran down the stairs to the landline, and dialed the chief's number. I glanced out the window, then at the clock. It was already past nine PM. I hope it wasn't too late to call.

Charlie picked up on the seventh ring. "Hello?" he said gruffly.

"Hey, Charlie," I said. "It's Alice."

"Oh, hi, Alice," he said. "How are you doing?"

"Fine, you?" I said hurriedly, wanting to get to the point.

"Good, good. Did you need something?"

"Yes, I did, actually," I said. "Remember when you gave me that box with Bella's books in it?"

There was a slight pause. "Yeah."

"Did you notice a diary?" I asked. "A brown one? It was Bella's, and I wasn't sure if you knew about it…"

"Oh!" he said. "Yeah, I found that while packing that box. I didn't want to invade Bella's privacy, so I didn't read it, but I wasn't meaning to put in the box."

"Oh," I said. "Well, did Bella ever mention anything about…" About what?

"About?" pressed Charlie.

"Never mind," I said. "I was just wondering if I could keep the diary? It just...reminds me of her."

"Sure," said Charlie after a pause.

"Thanks," I said, and hung up.

I had purposely not mentioned what Bella had written to Charlie. It was unlikely he knew, anyway. There was no way he would let his only daughter date a vampire. I turned back to the diary.

_Lucky for me, Billy didn't say anything to Charlie. I was safe- for now. _

_The next evening, I told Charlie I had changed my mind about going to Seattle. Of course, I hadn't really. I assured Charlie I would be fine, and that he should continue with his fishing plans. _

_Finally, Saturday morning arrived. As planned, Edward came to pick me up. He wouldn't tell me where we were going, and I started to get nervous as he told me we were hiking, not even on the trail. _

_Soon, we reached the most beautiful place I'd ever seen. It was a meadow, perfectly round, covered with wildflowers. The sun and nearby creek added to its beauty. _

_Edward stepped out into the sun, and I was at a loss of words. His skin reflected the light, like a diamond, throwing sparkling light everywhere. _

_He asked if I was afraid of him, and I said no more than usual. He said he wanted to know what I was thinking, seeing him like this. I told him that I wished that I wasn't afraid. _

_Then, something changed in Edward. He got up and showed me what he was truly capable of. His strength, his speed, his power…_

_He told me that he didn't want to hurt me. That he wouldn't hurt me, no matter what. That he should leave, but he couldn't. This made me happier than it should have. _

_We discussed his thirst for my blood, how it was like wine compared to water to an alcoholic. _

_He told me how he had left Forks to Alaska to escape it, the thirsty monster trying to escape. But I knew Edward wouldn't run away. He returned, fighting the thirst, getting to know me. And then...he realized that I meant more to him than I should. That I was the most important thing to him, ever. I admitted my feelings for him, too, embarrassed by the turn our conversation had taken. _

_We left the enchanting little meadow, and he showed me how he traveled through the forest. As I clung to his back, piggyback style, he dashed through the trees at a speed far beyond a normal human's. _

My mind flicked back to a memory. Bella had been sitting next to me in Spanish, and she had told me about how she and Edward had gone to some meadow...I was positive she was referring to this one, by the dreamy way she had described it, as if it were a place in a fairytale.

I didn't sleep well that night, too busy trying to wrap my head around what I had read. It was past midnight when I finally fell asleep. As I woke up the next morning, I reached for the diary, anxious to read more. I realized it was a lot colder in my room than it should have been, but I didn't pay attention. As I saw it wasn't on my desk, where I had left it, I realized one thing.

The diary was gone.


	6. Chapter 6

There was no doubt in my mind as to who had taken the diary. It was obviously Sam and Embry. Sam had asked me for the diary earlier, and he wasn't going to stop until it was in his hands.

I would have liked to get in my car and drive to La Push right then, but it was one of those rare times when my father was home, and there was no way he'd let me leave.

I sighed in frustration. Tomorrow, I would get the diary back after school.

The next day, as I entered school, Ben Cheney caught up with me as I walked. "Hey," he said.

"Hi."

"Did you study a lot for finals this weekend?"

"What?" I said blankly.

"Finals," he said, looking at me strangely.

"Shit!" I exclaimed as I realized what he meant. With Bella's death and the diary, I had totally forgotten we had finals next week.

The rest of the week was spent cramming. I didn't find any time to go down to La Push.

Finally, when the school year was finally over, I drove to La Push, and stormed into Mrs. Call's store.

"Is Embry here?" I asked.

She shook her head. "You just missed him. He left to hang out with some friends."

I thanked her and continued to drive aimlessly around La Push. I was determined to get the diary back.

After an hour of driving around, I didn't see Sam or Embry. I parked on a random street, leaned back, and closed my eyes. I needed the diary. I would get it back no matter what. It was my only way of finding out more.

There was a tap on my window. I opened my eyes to see Embry and- in his hands- the diary. I jumped out of the car.

"Hi," he said.

"Can I have my diary back?"

"Bella's," he corrected.

"Whatever."

He handed it to me. "You're giving it away just like that?" I said, flipping through to make sure it was the right diary.

"Sam was the one who took it, not me," he said. "He's being paranoid. You should have it back."

"Thanks," I said hesitantly.

"But…" he said. I sighed. I knew there was a catch. "You can't tell anyone what it says. It's too dangerous, and I don't want you to get hurt."

I looked up at Embry. I could see the genuine concern in his expression. It made me feel guilty for all the times I had snapped at him.

"Who would hurt me?" I asked him.

His lips twitched, as if he wanted to tell me but couldn't. "People who don't want you to know about the Cullens," he said finally.

"So it's true?"

He just gave me a small smile. "Bye, Alice," he said, and jogged away.

I was going to call out for him to stop, but a new scene formed in front of my eyes.

It was just a quick flash, but I saw myself...swimming? I wasn't swimming in a pool, but in an ocean, with a determined expression on my face.

The vision blurred then faded. I frowned at what I had seen, but didn't make much of it.

I climbed back into the car and opened the diary to the next entry.

_Edward told me his story. He was born in Chicago in 1901, and was bitten and changed by Carlisle in 1918 while he was dying of the Spanish influenza. Then, Esme and Rosalie joined the two of them. Rosalie found Emmett, who was dying of a bear attack, while she went hunting, and brought him home for Carlisle to change. Jasper joined lastly, after his mate, Emma, had been killed. Jasper had special powers, too. According to Edward, he could manipulate emotions. _

_He also said that most of his kind were nomadic, only coming near humans to feed. His family could stay here in Forks because they didn't feed off humans and the clouds protected them from the sun. _

_Edward revealed that he came into my room every night and watched me sleep. I know I should have been angry, but I was actually flattered. _

_That night, Edward told me more about his family. He said that the Cullens hunt animals to feel more human. Also, according to Carlisle, all vampires brought their strongest traits into their second life. Edward and Jasper had powers beyond normal humans, which is why they now had powers beyond a normal vampire's. _

_The next day, Edward wanted me to meet his family. I was nervous- not because I was going to a house filled with vampires, but because I was afraid they wouldn't approve of me, the clumsy, average human. _

_The house was beautiful. It was graceful and old-fashioned, yet still timeless. I met Carlisle, Esme, and Jasper- Rosalie seemed to have taken a dislike to me, so she and Emmett stayed away. Of course, they weren't really in college like everyone thought, but Rosalie's clear disapproval hurt. _

_Edward assured me that it was because she was jealous of my humanity. I found it strange- I would've given anything to be a vampire. _

_He gave me a tour of the house, and we stopped in Carlisle's office. _

I slammed the diary shut. Bella had said she would've given anything to become a vampire. So could it be that she wasn't really dead? That Edward had transformed her?

I tried to quash this hope, but I couldn't. The chance that Bella could be alive, however small it was, was still there. She could be sitting in the Cullen mansion right now, living happily with them.

I gasped as I realized something. In the Cullen mansion...she could still be there.

I turned on the car. I was going to pay the big white house in the woods a visit.


	7. Chapter 7

I pulled up in front of the big white house and stopped. I had had a little trouble finding the house, which was off in the woods, but I had eventually gotten there.

I hopped out of the car and practically ran to the front door. That's when I stopped and realized the house looked abandoned, even from the outside. Not losing hope, I peeked in through the large window and saw the room through it empty.

I was dejected as I climbed back into the car. My hopes had soared for a moment, only to be crushed minutes later.

As I drove, staring at the road, I could've sworn I had seen an animal looking through the green trees. It had been dark gray, and it seemed to have been a large bear-like creature.

I shook my head and payed attention to the road. All this talk about vampires had left me in a superstitious mood. It had probably been nothing out there.

At home, I opened the diary again. There was no way I was letting it out of my sight again. Embry's concern about someone hurting me ran through my head again. I shook the thought away and continued reading.

_I learned that Carlisle had been born around the 1650s in London. Edward had told me that when Carlisle had realized what he had become, he had tried to destroy himself, disgusted with the monster he had become. He had tried drowning himself, starving to death, jumping off cliffs..._

_Obviously, none of his techniques had worked._

_He eventually realized that he could feed off of animals, instead of humans, and he felt happier about his newfound immortality. He spent his time quenching his thirst for knowledge, and ended up working as a doctor to save human lives. In Italy, he met a group of people, named Aro, Caius, and Marcus, who called themselves the Volturi. They tried to convince him to follow their kind's natural diet, human blood, and in contrast, he tried to get them to switch their diet. Later, Carlisle left them and continued his work as a doctor._

_He was working in the hospital in Chicago during the Spanish influenza. Lonely as he had been for centuries, he decided to make a companion and ended up changing Edward, who had been dying of the influenza in 1901._

_Edward told me that after a few decades of living with Carlisle, he had had sort of a rebellious phase. He was upset that Carlisle was trying to curb him from their natural diet, and went off on his own for a while. After a while, he realized that Carlisle was right and rejoined him._

_We ended up in Edward's room, and I got to see his impressive music collection._

_Soon, Jasper came in and casually said that there was a storm coming up, and if Edward wanted to play ball. The usually quiet vampire's words confused me, since I didn't see how a storm demanded a baseball game. _

_I found it funny that vampires would play baseball, as the sport was so normal. Edward said I'd understand why they needed a storm to play, and I anxiously awaited the game._

Carlisle's story had fascinated me. Who could've guessed the handsome doctor's dark past?

I didn't know why, but when Bella had mentioned the Volturi, it gave me a feeling of deep dread. I shook it off, telling myself it was silly.

And vampires playing baseball...it just seemed so bizarre. I was now confident that there was no way that Bella had made any of this up. I turned the page, anxious to continue reading.


	8. Chapter 8

Once I found the correct page, I started reading.

_Billy and Jacob were there when Edward dropped me home. Edward said that Billy had come to warn Charlie about him. Charlie wasn't at home, but Billy and Jake still came in. Billy sent Jacob to get something from the car, and then the conversation started. Billy said that he had noticed that I was spending a lot of time with the Cullens, and that he didn't think that was a good idea because they had a bad reputation on the reservation. I told him that they hadn't gone on the reservation, so the reputation couldn't be deserved. He seemed surprised that I knew this, and said I was very well informed about the Cullens. He asked if Charlie was well informed, too. He had found my weak spot, and I fumbled for a minute before I said that it was my business whether it was Charlie's business or not. Finally, he surrendered. _

_They left and Charlie eventually came home. I told him about Edward and how he was my boyfriend. He seemed surprised and a bit angry at first, but Edward came and acted charming, as always, and we soon left the house to join the Cullens as they played baseball. _

_I sat with Esme. She didn't play because she preferred to referee. I learned more about her, like how she had tried jumping off a cliff after losing her child, which is where Carlisle found and changed her._

_Seeing the Cullens play baseball was definitely a new experience. They were, of course, much faster and stronger than normal humans. Because they hit so hard, it made a deafening sound that blended in with the thunder, so any normal human wouldn't hear anything they didn't think they should._

_After a while, Carlisle said he heard three vampires coming towards us. Everyone was worried about the vampires, which were most likely not vegetarian. I was scared, too. _

_I stood very still next to Edward as they finally came. There were two males, one with black hair and the other blond, and a woman with bright red curls. The darker-haired man was named Laurent, the blond one James, and the female was Victoria. _

_Their eyes were a blood red, not the gold I had gotten so used to. I knew their eyes were a sign that they feasted on human blood._

_Carlisle invited the trio to the Cullen home to discuss their vegetarian diet which the strangers seemed so interested him. He told Edward, Emmett, and I to go back to the Jeep._

_Then, a light breeze ruffled my hair. The blond-haired vampire, named James, whipped towards me and Edward growled at him. I was terrified that James would attack and end up killing me right there._

_Edward and I left with Emmett, with luckily no one being attacked. Edward seemed furious as he drove. He said that we were getting out of Forks. I was confused and angry, and demanded to go home._

_I found out that James was a tracker, and he was determined to hunt me down and kill me._

_I came up with an idea. Edward would take me home and I would pretend I was upset and I'd tell Charlie that I wanted to go back to Phoenix and storm out of the house. We would make sure that James saw the scene play out, and he wouldn't hurt Charlie. Then Edward would take me wherever he wanted, where we would be safe._

_We decided that I would go to Phoenix after telling Charlie, because there was no way James would think that's where I actually would go. We also decided that Jasper and Esme would come with me to Phoenix and Edward would stay here for a few days so Charlie wouldn't suspect anything._

_I felt a strange kind of excitement, mixed with fear and anxiety, as out plan went into action._

Bella's plan was brilliant. Of course she'd know that James would never expect her to go to Phoenix. And though she didn't say it, I was almost positive that leaving Edward in Forks for a while was her idea, too.

I suddenly realized something. Could James have been the cause of Bella's death? I didn't know how old the diary was, but Bella had died about five and a half months ago at this point.

I was still hoping for my previous theory, which was that Edward had changed Bella and they were happily living together someplace. Right now, I wasn't sure which was more likely.

Feeling hatred at the blond tracker, I turned the page.


	9. Chapter 9

There was absolutely nothing there. Frantically, I flipped through the other pages.

All blank.

Angrily, I flipped to the last page. That was empty, too, but there was something taped to the back cover. I slowly peeled the tape off the crisp folded note.

I looked at it. Bella's handwriting still covered the sheet, but it seemed smoother, more elegant, not the messy scrawl I was so used to.

_As I write this with new eyes, I am blissfully happy. The transformation was extremely painful, more painful than Renesmee's violent birth. But I wouldn't trade my immortality or my daughter for anything, and I am glad it all worked out._

_I am still annoyed slightly by Jacob's imprinting, but I know that he'll protect her. I'm happy that he doesn't have to suffer anymore because of me._

_The Volturi will leave us alone for now. I have no doubt that Aro will come back with a bigger army, but I don't want to worry about that now._

_My shield power is actually useful, not like I thought it would be. In fact, I think I like it more than my super control._

_Our family has decided to move away from Portland to Isle Esme. It is far away from any humans, so we can live peacefully. Of course, we'll still have to visit the mainland to hunt occasionally._

_All is well._

_-Bella_

Bella was a vampire. She hadn't actually died. I was so happy and relieved at this fact that clutched the letter to my chest, as if letting it go would destroy Bella forever. Bella was alive!

But I hadn't missed one fact. Bella had mentioned she had given birth to a girl named Renesmee.

I wasn't sure if it was physically possible for a vampire to have kids. But if Bella was a vampire when Renesmee was born, it should be possible. After all, I wasn't an expert on vampire births.

Jacob had imprinted at this point, whatever that meant. I would have to try and find out.

And those mysterious Volturi had been mentioned again...it seems like they wouldn't bother the Cullens anymore, but would attack again in the future?

And Bella had some sort of shield power, along with some kind of super control. Control of what?

Bella had mentioned Isle Esme, too. According to the letter, the Cullens had lived in Portland before they decided to move there. I hadn't heard of Isle Esme, but I obviously recognized Esme's name in it.

An idea sprung on me, and I didn't know why I didn't come up with it the second I read the words. If I could find out where this island was, I could go visit Bella.

A smile crept into my lips. I was already much happier than I had been in months. Seeing Bella would truly be amazing.

After a while of research, I found out that Isle Esme was a small island off the coast of South America.

I beamed at my results. I was going to see Bella if it was the last thing I did.


	10. Chapter 10

After more research, I learned that Isle Esme wasn't open to the public, but there was a nearby island called Twilight Island that was. It wasn't too far from Isle Esme, and since I was a pretty good swimmer, I could easily swim from Twilight Island to Isle Esme.

My plan was set, but there was one major problem. There was no way my father would agree to this.

I thought hard for a few moments before a smile broke out on my face. I knew what I would do.

I stayed up later than usual, waiting for my father to come home. Finally, a about half an hour before midnight, I heard him creak open the door.

"Hey, dad," I said.

He seemed surprised I waited for him. "Hi, Ali. Why aren't you asleep?"

"I actually wanted to ask you something," I said.

He nodded as he slid off his shoes.

"Well, I wanted to ask if I could visit South America."

He froze before standing up straight. "Absolutely not! I am not letting my only daughter travel to another country alone!"

"I won't be alone," I said. "I'm going to visit a friend. She moved there a while ago, and wants me to come see her."

He raised an eyebrow. "And who is this friend?"

"Remember Emily? I mentioned her before."

I actually didn't know any Emily, but my dad would believe it. He didn't keep track of my friends, and he'd assume there was an Emily.

I felt a bit guilty about lying to him like this, but if he could ignore me four years, I could at least get to do this. Besides, it wasn't like I was doing something I wasn't supposed to.

After thinking for a while, he finally said, "Emily...yes, I think I remember her. The one with the two younger twin brothers?"

"Yeah, her," I said quickly before he realized that was Angela he was talking about. "So...can I?"

He thought about it for a while.

"I promise I won't ask for anything else," I added. "I just want to see her once more before college."

"I suppose that's fine," he said hesitantly. "I'll book your ticket."

I ran forward and hugged him, something I hadn't done for a long time. "Thank you!" I exclaimed before dashing upstairs and throwing clothes into a suitcase.

In a few days, I would see Bella. And maybe then, I'd find out more.

A few days later, I walked out of the airport into the warm sun. I pulled my sunglasses down and made my way to a taxi, excitement and anxiety bubbling up inside me.

It drove me to the coast. I boarded the ferry I would take to Twilight Island. My excitement increased as the boat made its way through the pretty blue water to the island, just barely visible at this point.

After a while, Twilight Island and Isle Esme were both clearly in view.

Finally, we landed at Twilight Island and everyone got off. As most people went off to see the attractions offered or to check into their hotels, I walked to the beach and stood on the noisy shore, where people played in the water, examining the island where the Cullens lived.

Finally, I went to the bathroom to change into my navy blue one-piece. Since I obviously couldn't take my stuff with me, I left it stashed in a locker I rented and then started swimming.

As the sound of children laughing and splashing faded behind me, I realized with some shock that this was the vision I had had of me swimming. I grinned and pushed forward.

I wasn't too keen on arriving at the Cullen's in a dripping wet swimsuit, cute as it may be. Oh well, I guess I'd have to manage.

It didn't take too long to reach Isle Esme. Reaching there, I immediately collapsed on the glittering white sand and rested for a while, before walking towards the beautiful house.

I hesitated on the front step, but I took a deep breath and raised my fist before knocking it firmly on the wooden door twice.


	11. Chapter 11

I had hardly put my hand back down when the door was opened by a tall male vampire. His skin sparkled slightly in the indirect light, mesmerizing me.

The surprise was clear on his handsome face, but it was also mixed with something else. A passionate hatred. I knew I was uninvited, but how could he hate me so quickly? A second later, the hatred vanished, so quickly I must've imagined it. The surprise was still there, though. For some reason, I could almost..._feel _his surprise. I suddenly realized that this must be Jasper, and he was unconsciously influencing my emotions right now.

I stood up a little straighter- not that it helped, seeing he was over a foot taller than me- and said, "Hello, Jasper."

More surprise rolled in waves over me.

"Who are you?" he asked, the distrust clear.

"I'm Alice."

"You're human."

"I know," I said, getting impatient. The whole reason I had come here was to see my best friend, not get questioned by Jasper. "Is Bella here?"

That's when I noticed the little girl peeking from around him. I was startled as two familiar brown eyes shone at me in anxiety. She hid behind Jasper as she saw me staring at her.

I realized that it must be Renesmee, Bella's and Edward's daughter. She had Edward's hair, but Bella's pretty brown eyes, something I'd always been jealous of.

I looked back to Jasper, who was still staring at me in suspicion.

"Who's at the door?" I heard someone ask. It sounded like Bella. I felt excitement and hope rise up in me. Bella was here, and alive. Well, maybe not completely "alive," but not dead either.

She walked up to the door and stepped in front of Jasper. "Alice?"

The tone she said it in made me feel uninvited, like an intruder on their life here. I ducked my head down.

The fact that she was a vampire was clear. Like Jasper, her skin shone slightly in the sun. She was much paler, and her eyes were a dark orange, probably not have fully completed the change to golden. "Hey," I said shyly, avoiding the two vampire's gazes.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

I laughed weakly. "It's an interesting story, actually..."

"So you know," said Jasper in a flat tone.

I knew he was asking about their biggest secret. "Yeah, I do."

"But how...?" said Bella.

"Your diary," I said.

We all stood in silence awkwardly.

Then, Renesmee piped up. "Wanna play?" she asked, looking at me curiously.

"Actually, I should go..." I told her.

"You aren't going anywhere," said Bella firmly. "I want to know everything...and you deserve to, too. I can't believe you made it all the way here."

Jasper felt my uncomfort at her words and said, "Maybe it'd be better if she did leave."

"Don't be silly," said a caramel-haired woman that could only be Esme, seeming to have come out of nowhere. "We have a guest, and we're going to treat her like one." She smiled at me as she said this.

"Thanks, but..." I started.

"Esme's right," said Bella, cutting me off. "Come on, Ali, I missed you!"

Before I had a chance to protest, I was swept into the house.

"Here," said Bella, handing me some clothes and pointing to the bathroom.

I obediently changed out of my swimsuit, thinking if this was a bad idea. The clothes were actually a good choice, for Bella. I grinned when I realized that I was in a house of vampires, and I was worried about Bella's fashion choices. Now that I knew the truth, or at least most of it, I felt like I had before I thought Bella had died- normal, and most of all, happy.

I walked out into the living room, where Esme forced me onto the couch. I sat next to Jasper awkwardly. I could literally feel his distrust.

Bella could feel it, too. "Jasper," she said. "I trust Alice. I've known her for years. She won't tell anyone about this."

His expression didn't change, but he seemed slightly more relaxed. "You knew who I was," he accused quietly.

"I did," I replied. "Bella said some stuff about you in her diary. Not much, just that you could influence emotions and had lost a mate...Emma?" I recalled.

His hands clenched into fists, and I realized this was probably not the right thing to say.

"Sorry," I said quickly. "I lost my mom and sister, you know. In a car crash...and my dad, he started ignoring me. And when I thought Bella had died...I thought everyone I loved was gone." I was aware that I was ranting, but I didn't stop. "You still have a family."

His hands unclenched, and his expression softened. "I do," he said. "I'm sorry for your losses."

I shrugged as if it was no big deal, but I knew he could feel the sorrow. It must've been pretty bad, feeling everyone's sadness all the time.

"Here," said Bella, shoving a plate into my lap. "Eggs. Eat."

"You didn't have to do all this," I said.

She waved her hand. "Esme cooks for Jacob all the time, and you don't eat half as much as him. It's no big deal."

"Still," I protested, before I realized what she had said. "Wait, Jacob's here, too?"

"Eat, Alice," said Bella. "And yes, but not at the moment."

"I need ask you some stuff," I said.

"Go ahead," she said.

"Firstly: what happened where the diary left off?"

She sighed, as if she had been expecting but avoiding this question. "Well, let's see...James lured me to meet him in a ballet studio. I thought he had my mom, and I went. He hurt me and bit me, but Edward came in time. He saved me, and sucked the venom out of the bite. But James didn't die...we don't know where he is now.

"Edward took me to Portland, saying it was unsafe in Forks. There were two others in James's coven, and they were bound to come back with James. Charlie was mad, of course, but when he found out it could save my life, he let me go.

"Then..." she winced. "Edward left me. He thought he was the reason I was in danger. I was free to go back to Forks, even to Renée, but I didn't.

"Jacob was running through Portland when we met. He's a shapeshifter, Alice. I'll explain that later. Anyway, Jacob and I got closer. He...started having feelings for me. Feelings more than friendship.

"Then, a few months later, Edward came back. He couldn't live without me, just like I couldn't live without him.

"We got married. I hated hurting Jacob, but I knew Edward was my only future.

"Then...I got pregnant. Renesmee's birth was...painful. She literally tore me apart from the inside. In the end, she was born and Edward bit me. I changed into a vampire.

"Jacob imprinted on Renesmee- I'll explain that later, too.

"The Volturi came. They thought Renesmee was an immortal child and everyone was expecting a war. But they left peacefully, and now here we are."

I tried to wrap my head around the short summary Bella had given me. I couldn't believe that Edward had left Bella, but I knew he thought he had a good reason, and it probably killed them both. I was almost jealous of their relationship, how they could always depend on each other and their love was clear.

"Tell me about shapeshifters and imprinting," I said.

She nodded. "Basically, Jacob and some others are protectors or the La Push and Forks area. At will, they can turn into wolves. They phase for the first time at about fifteen, and they can do so because of their bloodlines. The pack's minds are connected when they're in their wolf forms. They exist to protect humans from vampires. In fact, the more vampires nearby, the more wolves exist.

"Imprinting is basically when a wolf finds his...soul mate? It's not that, exactly. It means that he'd do or be anything for her, whether it's a brother, friend, or lover. A wolf and his imprint have a special connection."

Something dawned on me. "Embry and Sam are shapeshifters, aren't they?" It made sense, the way them and a few other always hung around together, like a pack of wolves. And how Embry had known about the Cullens…"Wait, but the wolves and you guys are allied now, right?"

She nodded, seeming surprised that I knew so much.

Renesmee demanded her mother's attention, and Bella turned away from me.

"Where are the rest?" I asked Jasper quietly, referring to the rest of the family.

"Edward, Rose, Em, and Carlisle went on a hunting trip," he replied. "No one knows about the dog."

We sat in silence. A half hour later, I heard the front door open.

I took a deep breath. I guess I was just about to meet the rest of the family.

**A/N: Sorry for the late update :( I just wanted to thank everyone who favorited/followed/reviewed this story so far. It really means a lot to me :)**


	12. Chapter 12

Then, the door opened and the missing Cullens stepped in.

"I smell human," said the loud, muscular vampire that must be Emmett loudly before his gaze landed on me. He stared in a way that made me self-conscious.

Rosalie, who was absolutely gorgeous, just like Bella described, glared at me.

Carlisle seemed mildly interested.

Edward kept opening then closing his mouth, like a fish. It would have been funny if not for the circumstances.

"Alice," he choked out.

"Hi," I said. "Sorry for surprising you."

"Carlisle, Rose, Emmett," said Bella. "This is Alice. She's a friend of mine."

"Oh, fantastic," said Rosalie. "Same thing all over again."

Edward growled softly.

"Hello, Alice," said Carlisle, stepping forward and extending a pale hand.

"Hello." I grasped it and shook it once before pulling my hand away from his hard, ice cold one.

"She knows what we are," murmured Edward softly. I was confused as to how he knew this, before I remembered he could read minds. I can't believe I never noticed when he was still at Forks High. He'd always smile when I made an amusing comment in my head.

Rosalie stormed out of the room. Emmett came and sat on the chair across from me. "So," he grinned. "Another human. Are you as clumsy as Bella was? I've been missing that."

"Uh, no," I mumbled, intimidated by the vampire's muscles. Even without his extra vampire strength, he could've broken my bones easily.

"The Volturi will return, if they hear about this," said Carlisle wearily. "There's no doubt about it."

"Jasper," called Esme from the kitchen, seeing my guilt and uncomfort for being here, and pitying me. "Why don't you take Alice on a tour?"

He seemed slightly repulsed by the idea, but stood up and gestured for me to follow him.

Edward grabbed Jasper's shoulder firmly as he passed him. "Can you handle it?"

Jasper nodded once, seeming slightly annoyed by Edward's lack of faith in him.

I had already seen most of the first floor, so he led me up the stairs.

"What did Edward mean?" I asked Jasper, jogging to keep up with his long strides.

He paused. "I...struggle with the animal blood diet, more than the others. Human blood is harder for me to resist."

"How does it feel?" I asked curiously. "To be thirsty?"

"Painful," he said roughly, as if thinking about it made him thirsty. "Like a dry burn that won't go away. Animal blood satisfies it enough, I guess, but human blood is much more preferable." His voice had started to strain, and I understood it was from me. I stepped a few feet away from him. I was glad for one thing, that he didn't sugar-coat anything. I came here for the truth, not understatements.

"Carlisle's office," he said, pointing to the first door. "Carlisle and Esme's bedroom," he continued, opening the door slightly to a white room. "Rosalie's and Emmett's bedroom, and the library."

Then he led me to the room furthest down the hall. "My room," he said, opening the door.

I peered inside. There was a bed, though I couldn't imagine why he needed one. There was also a dark wooden bookshelf, filled with books.

"You really like the Civil War," I said, looking at the spines.

"Like it?" he said. "I fought in it."

I turned towards him, surprised. "Really?"

He opened his mouth to reply, but Renesmee ran into the room. She stood on the bed so she was around my height and scrutinized me closely.

"I'm Renesmee," she said finally, seeming to have approved of me. "But you can call me Nessie."

"Hi, Nessie," I said, smiling at the little girl's adorableness. I never really liked kids, but Nessie seemed...more mature. "I'm Alice."

She grinned, showing off her little white teeth. "Wanna play dress-up?" she asked hopefully. "Momma doesn't like it and Aunt Rose is busy right now."

"Sure!" I said.

"Come on!" she exclaimed, taking my hand and pulling me to her room. For a girl who looked as if she couldn't be more than four, she was surprisingly strong.

"I'm a hybrid, you know," she said proudly. "I'm special."

"A hybrid?" I asked.

"Yeah," she said. "I'm half human and half vampire!"

"Oh, yeah," I said. The skin and strength was a sign of a vampire, but her chocolate brown eyes and pink cheeks showed she was human.

I was trying to figure out how that worked when she suddenly exclaimed, "Wanna see something cool?"

"Sure," I said somewhat hesitantly.

She reached up and pressed her little palm to my face.

I gasped as what I was seeing changed. At first, I thought I was having another vision, but then I realized what I was seeing. I was seeing myself, from Nessie's eyes, standing in the doorway, my swimsuit wet.

The scene changed, and I saw myself talking to Bella, discussing wolves.

Nessie pulled her hand away, taking the scene with it.

"What was that?" I asked.

She giggled. "It's my gift. I can show others what I want them to."

"Wow," I said softly, staring in amazement at the little bronze-haired girl.

"Come on," she said, pulling me again.

I realized that Nessie was much more fashion-forward than her mother. She looked adorable while she came out in different outfits and strutted around, pretending she was a model.

"Alice!" groaned Bella as she and Rosalie came in. "Don't tell me you've let fashion take over my daughter!"

"I think Rosalie has already let that happen," I said, smiling at the blond vampire, a sign of friendship. She scowled and turned.

"Don't worry about Rose," said Bella after she left. "She just wishes she was human again."

"Why?" I asked. "I mean, she had everything anyone could ever want."

"Except kids," said Bella. "That's what she really wants. She's like a second mother to Renesmee, but she wants her own kids who she can watch grow up."

I wrinkled my nose. I didn't think about ever having kids of my own.

"Jacob's here!" screamed Nessie and jumped off the bed before running down the stairs, probably hearing something I couldn't.

"Come on," said Bella.

I followed her to the front door where Nessie was proceeding to tell Jacob something through her power.

There must have been me in it, because Jacob's expression was cool as he saw me. "Embry's mentioned you, too," he said casually, though there seemed to be something hidden in his words.

"How's he doing?" I said lamely.

"Great," said Jacob.

I wonder if he knew that I knew he was a shape-shifter. It was funny, how just a few weeks ago I knew virtually nothing about the hidden world in Forks and now I was a part of it myself. I had to admit, I was a little scared. Not of the Cullens, of course, but how this would affect me and my future.

I guess I'd have to wait and see. I just hoped it'd be for the best.


	13. Chapter 13

"So," said Bella. "We haven't decided whether it's safe for you in Forks yet or not. So for now, you're staying here."

"What? Why isn't it safe?" I asked, bewildered.

"The Volturi," said Bella. "They don't know that we've moved to the island yet, so you should be safe here. But if Aro sends Jane or Demetri to Forks just to check, and they find out that you know, then they'll kill you."

"Wait, wait, wait," I said, holding my hand up. "What are the Volturi?"

"Who, not what," corrected Jasper.

"They're like the vampire kings," said Bella.

"Aro, Caius, and Marcus are the three leaders, but the guard is just as powerful as them," said Edward.

"The guard is a group of gifted vampires whose powers are useful to the Volturi," added Jasper.

"Okay," I sighed, trying to take in all the new information. I hadn't exactly thought about who controlled the vampire world, but it did make sense that there would be a leader of some sort. "So how long before I can go back to Forks?"

Edward and Bella exchanged a look. "We're not sure," said Bella.

"What?" I said to her. "But I told my dad I'd be here for a few days at most! Not to mention school will start again in August!"

"We'll have to think of an excuse," murmured Edward.

"What about the same thing we used last time?" said Bella. "That she got some rare South American disease and can't go anywhere until it's cured?"

"That should work," I said. I was still expecting to be home soon, though. Even though I liked it here, I couldn't just drop everything.

"But won't your father want to visit you?" said Edward.

"No," I said, looking down. It was true. He wouldn't disrupt his organized schedule to visit me.

"Okay, then," said Bella, breaking the sudden silence. "So Alice is sick. Carlisle can call her father and explain."

"Great," I muttered. Though I was happy to see Bella again, I felt out of place here- one human amongst all the vampires. I guessed Nessie and Jacob felt the same way, but at least they were just as powerful as a vampire. I was soft and delicate compared to them.

Of course, I was also a food source. Bella had told me that she had some kind of super-resistance to human blood, so I was safe from her. Rosalie and Carlisle had never tasted human blood, so I had no fear of them attacking me either. Esme, Edward, and Emmett had developed a strong resistance to blood over the centuries, so the only person I was in immediate danger of losing control around me was Jasper.

I looked at the vampire. Despite knowing that he could kill me easily, I trusted him. Maybe because Bella trusted him.

The assorted vampires left the room, until only Edward, Jasper, and I were left. I was about to leave too, until I had a vision.

In my vision, there was a male vampire with dirty blond hair and blood-red eyes. It went away in less than a second, so fast I wasn't sure if it was really a vision or just some random image my brain had come up with.

Edward hissed and I realized he could see my visions, too. That was interesting...and unsettling.

"James," he said in a low voice. "How do you know how he looks?"

"Uh," I started. "I didn't...think that. At least, not in the way you thought I did."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I...have visions sometimes. Of the future."

I could feel Jasper's surprise spread through the room.

Edward's expression was incredulous, as though I had really just thought of someone I'd never met.

"So James is in your future?" asked Edward finally.

"It doesn't have to be my future," I said. "It could be anyone's, really."

"The bastard escaped," he growled. "He hurt Bella and escaped alive. He should be dead."

I didn't say anything.

"Is he after you, too?" asked Edward.

"No," I said.

"Are you sure?" asked Jasper. "It could be like with Bella...he wants challenging prey, and if he knows you're with us, he could want to fight us again."

"It could've been that he's after us, too," said Edward.

"Listen," I said to them. "I am a million percent sure I've never seen this James guy or even heard of him before I read the diary. I don't know how he could've tracked me anywhere. He doesn't even know who I am!"

"You don't know that," argued Jasper.

"Alice is right," said Edward. "But we'll keep an eye out for him."

"Be careful," said Jasper to me. I was surprised to see a hint of genuine concern in his eyes.

"Tell me more about your visions," said Edward, intrigued.

I hesitated, not used to such rapt attention. "Well...I've had them since I was little. They're really just flashes, not even really useful most of the time. The only person who's ever known is my mom, and she's not here anymore, so I guess it's just you guys now."

"Wow," murmured Edward. "Jazz, imagine if she was a vampire! Her talent would get so much stronger..."

"Absolutely not!" said Jasper. "Don't even think about changing her!"

"I wasn't," said Edward calmly. "Not really. Just a 'what if.'"

"Actually, I think it'd be kinda cool to be a vampire," I said, thinking about it. Besides the bloodlust, it did seem pretty awesome.

Jasper rolled his eyes and muttered something about having another Bella situation. Edward laughed.

I stuck my tongue out at both of them- I didn't care if it seemed immature- and flitted out of the room to find Bella.

I found her cooing softly to Nessie in the living room. I say down next to her on the white couch.

Nessie stretched her arm forward and touched my face. I saw glimpses of her playing outside with Jacob, trying to catch one of the brilliant black and orange butterflies that fluttered through the bushes.

I smiled at her as she pulled her hand back. "That's great, Nessie!"

Bella groaned. "Not you, too!"

"What?" I asked, confused.

"Her name is Renesmee. Not Nessie," she said.

Nessie rolled her eyes and touched Bella's face, probably telling her that she preferred Nessie.

"Okay, well, I'm still calling you Renesmee," Bella told her daughter.

Nessie rolled her eyes again. She looked a lot like Edward when she did that.

"I'm thirsty," she announced.

Bella glanced at me. "You can hunt later."

"But I'm thirsty!" she whined, her hands clutching her throat.

"Go with Jacob," said Bella in a strict tone.

"Fine," she huffed and ran off to find him.

"Sorry about that," said Bella as Nessie's figure retreated down the hall.

"No problem," I said.

"No, really," she said. "I know how it must feel to have people say that kind of stuff around you, with you being human and all."

"Really, it's nothing," I assured her. Okay, I had to admit it was kinda weird, but hey, I _was _in a house of vampires. What else should I expect?

"Okay, but just tell me if you feel...you know," she said.

"Sure, sure," I said.

"So," she said brightly. "How are you liking it here?"

"It's nice," I said. "Though I'm still a little homesick, you know?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "I miss Charlie, too. The last time we visited him was when I taped that letter in the diary, just so it wouldn't feel like an unfinished story. Anyway, I'll show you around the island. It's beautiful."

"Right now?" I asked, and she nodded.

She took me around the sunny island. I stated in amazement as her ivory skin reflected the sun rays, making it shine brilliantly. It was almost blinding in this sun, but I didn't mind.

The island was beautiful, too. The water was a clear turquoise, and the white sand contrasted well with it. There were tropical plants and animals that I didn't get to see back in Forks.

As night fell upon the island, we walked together back to the house, where I quickly fell into a dreamless sleep, exhausted by the day's events.


	14. Chapter 14

I woke up to sunlight. It was just as bright as yesterday, streaming through the gap in between the curtains, creating pretty patterns on the pale wooden floor.

Stretching, I swung my legs off the bed and they hit the floor before I heard a crack. And then I felt the slime.

"Ew!" I shrieked as raw egg seeped between my toes. "Ew! Ew! Ew!"

I stood on one leg and shook the other to get the egg off. Unfortunately, I hit my foot against the bed before I slid off the other foot onto the floor, getting egg on my clothes and in my hair and probably bruising multiple body parts.

"Emmett!" I screamed, knowing only he could do this. I heard his booming laugh coming from somewhere.

I got up and hopped towards the bathroom on my uninjured foot, disgusted at the clear goop drippied on everything.

When I came back out after a shower, I saw that someone had cleaned the egg. I sighed and limped out of the room. I was going to kill Emmett.

I found him still laughing at my misfortunes in the kitchen. Reaching out, I slapped his arm. It would've hurt him, but I had momentarily forgotten that he was a vampire, and therefore he was pretty much indestructible.

He laughed harder at my weak attempt at revenge.

"Shut up," I muttered and stalked away to find someone else to talk to, someone that would not try to prank me.

That someone ended up being Jasper. Last night, while walking around the island, Bella had told me more about all her family members, including him. Apparently, he used to fight in the Civil War and was part of some vampire war, too.

"Are you okay?" he asked quietly as I stormed into the library.

"Yeah," I sighed.

"Don't worry. Emmett does that kind of stuff to everyone."

"Really?"

"No," he said. "It's mostly because you're human."

"Great," I sighed.

He laughed quietly. "I'll help you get him back."

"Thanks," I said, oddly touched.

"Any more visions?" he asked after a short pause.

"No," I said. "They're not always accurate. The James one must not be real."

"Maybe."

"What's your story?" I blurted randomly, curious to hear more about it from his perspective. Bella's version had been filled with holes.

He hesitated before replying. "It's...long."

"We have time," I said. I didn't know why, but he fascinated me. I wanted to know his past.

"Well..." he started. "It was 1861 when I decided to fight in the Civil War. I was only 17, but I lied about my age and got in. Even then, my persuasive skills were above average. I was originally from Texas, so of course I would fight for the South. Just like any Southerner of the time, I thought we'd win easily.

"I was wrong, of course. But I didn't find that out until later. I went through the ranks, and soon became the youngest major in all of Texas.

"During one battle, my job was to escort the women and children to safety. As I rode after completing my task, I came across three women- they seemed strange to me, at the time. They had blood red eyes and ghostly pale skin. I was a little wary, but not afraid.

"Still, like the good Southern gentleman I was, I got off my horse and greeted them. Their names were Maria, Nettie, and Lucy. They were discussing whether they should change me or not, but I didn't realize that at the time.

"Finally, Nettie and Lucy went to hunt and Maria bit me. After the transformation was over, I realized that she was trying to form a vampire army, to gain more of the human population to feed on.

"At first, I went with her plan, creating newborns and expanding the army. I learned about my power, and I used it to control the newborns.

"Newborn vampires are usually out of control, easy to anger, extremely powerful, and most of all, thirsty. As a result, they ended up destroying each other most of the time. Maria and I were a team, in charge of the army.

"The job I most hated was destroying the newborns who were no longer of use to us. Being the way I am, I could actually feel their terror in those last few moments before death. As a result, I was miserable most of the time.

"Once, I had to dispose of the newborns with a vampire named Peter. He was surprisingly mature, and I soon befriended him.

"He tried to convince me to let some of the newborns live, but I paid him no heed- Maria's orders were to destroy them all. We went on, killing them.

"Finally, Peter snapped. He told the newborn we were about to get rid of, Charlotte, to run and he ran after her. Though I could have caught them, I let them escape.

"After Peter left, life just got worse. I hated killing. I even felt bad for killing the humans whose blood I thirsted for. Their last moments of despair and terror stayed and haunted me, like ghosts of the past.

"Peter and Charlotte came back for me in 1938. I gladly left Maria to join them. I was...not much happier with them. I was free from killing my kind, but I still felt the guilt from taking human lives every time I hunted. I tried to hunt less, but eventually the thirst would overpower and I'd give in. I soon left Peter and Charlotte, and wandered aimlessly by myself.

"I was in Philadelphia in 1948 when I met Emma. She was unlike any vampire I'd ever met. She was beautiful, of course, and an extremely good actress, though I didn't know at the time. I wasn't the only one who had fallen for her little charade." By now, he was snarling the words, hatred filling the room like a cloud of heat. I was confused why he would talk about his mate this way. He continued. "She convinced me that she loved me. A lie, of course, but she absolutely radiated love.

"I later learned it was a love for power, not for me. She told me about the Cullens, a group of vampires who lived like a family in a permanent spot, and drank animal blood instead of human. I was intrigued by this coven, so the pair of us set off to find them.

"She used me. She wanted to take over the Cullen coven, one of the biggest covens known besides the Volturi, and was going to have me use my power to convince them to follow her.

"I always knew inside that I didn't love her, and she knew, too. A constant string of tales about the Cullens was really the only thing which kept us together. To be free from the blood and violence, and to actually have a family, sounded too good to be true. I wanted the life she had described more than I could've imagined.

"I saw through her plan when we weren't that far from our destination. She had slipped up in hiding her true feelings, and I turned on her. I wanted to kill her, for using me, for trying to use the Cullens.

"She ran away and escaped. I continued on towards our original destination, and I've been living with the Cullens since," he finished.

I was speechless. I knew not all vampires were kind, but it seemed like Emma just wanted power, not even caring about the blood. I didn't want to think about what would've happened if she did gain control over the Cullen coven- she probably would've gone on to try to take over the Volturi, if she was willing to risk that much. "Wow," I finally murmured. "But Bella...she thought Emma was your mate."

"So does everyone else, besides you and Edward," he said.

"Why didn't you tell them?" I asked.

He shrugged.

"And why are you telling me?" I asked.

"I don't know," he murmured, his gaze landing on my eyes, as if he would find the answers hidden in the deep brown.


	15. Chapter 15

"You remind me of her," he said suddenly. "Emma. I don't know why...you just do."

I hated being compared to the woman who had tried to use the Cullen family and had broken Jasper's heart.

He must have felt my annoyance, because he said, "Not like that. More like...the person she was before I realized her true intentions."

I was still a little annoyed, but I didn't say anything.

He pulled something out of his pocket and handed it to me. I looked at the slightly blurry photograph of a young woman looking thoughtfully at the camera. "That's her," murmured Jasper to me.

As Jasper said, she was gorgeous, her beauty rivaling Rosalie's, if you looked past the bright red eyes. "Why do you still have this?" I asked curiously, wondering why he'd keep the picture of the girl who betrayed him.

He gently pulled the photo out of my hands and slid it back in his pocket. He glanced at me once before leaving.

Though he hadn't answered, I realized he still loved her. I didn't know how he could, ever after what she'd done, but then again, I'd never been in love. Maybe it worked like that- once you were in too deep, you were stuck.

I played with Nessie the rest of the day, until evening fell again on the island. I stood outside alone in the sand, watching the waves roll and crash on the shore and the sun disappear slowly, the sky a beautiful pinkish purple. I liked the feel of the slight wind cooling my skin. It was much warmer here than in Forks. I was even starting to miss the near constant rain of my hometown, though I'd hated it previously.

I almost bumped into Jasper when I came in through the front door and stopped. For some reason, I felt really weird around him, like I was blushing, though I knew I wasn't.

He frowned slightly as he felt what I was feeling. I don't know why, but I didn't want him to know. Thinking of the time Lauren poured coffee all over my new outfit, I tried to disguise it with anger.

The sudden mood change caused Jasper to frown more. "Are you mad at me?" he asked.

"No," I said quickly. "I'm mad at Lauren."

"Who's Lauren?" he asked, confused.

"No one," I said, mentally telling myself to shut up.

Giving me a strange look, he went his way and I went mine.

"Why're you mad at Lauren right now?" asked Bella when I came into the kitchen.

"How do you know I was mad at her?" I said, surprised.

"Because you told Jasper," she replied. "And I heard it."

Right. Stupid vampire hearing. Was there any privacy in this house?

Edward chuckled from where he was leaning against the dining table. "You get used to it," he simply said.

I sighed in frustration. Stupid mind reader.

Edward laughed again.

A week and a half later, Jacob, Bella, Edward, and I were all in the kitchen, chatting casually. The strange feeling I got around Jasper only grew, and I'd stopped trying to stop Jasper from sensing it a week ago. There was really no point, we both knew it wasn't working.

Jasper walked into the kitchen and said to Edward and Bella, "Rose, Em, and I were going to go hunting. Wanna come?"

Bella's eyes flicked towards me. "No, we'll go later." Edward nodded in agreement.

Jasper's dark gold eyes followed Bella's until they landed on me. He seemed to have not noticed I was in the room before.

He said something mentally to Edward, who nodded slightly before whispering it to Bella.

"I'm right here, you know!" I exclaimed. "It'd be nice if you left the gossip about me until later."

"Sorry," muttered Jasper before leaving.

"What's with him?" mumbled Jacob through a mouthful of food.

Edward didn't reply, and seemed to be pointedly avoiding the question.

"Eat," ordered Bella, handing me a plate with Esme's cooking piled on it. I did.

I read Bella's copy of Wuthering Heights until sunset, when Rosalie, Emmett, and Jasper ran back into the house, their eyes once again a light gold.

For some reason, Jasper's eyes immediately fell to mine. I felt my cheeks burn as I focused back on the book, fully aware his gaze was still on me.

As night fell, I tried to go sleep, but it wouldn't come. Sighing, I climbed out of bed and walked around the house, enjoying the feel of the cool wood against my bare feet, although it was still very hot.

I didn't know where everyone was, and I vaguely wondered what vampires did at night. I heard sounds coming from Rosalie and Emmett's room that made me grimace and turn the other way. I saw light peer out from the door that led to Carlisle's office, and I quietly padded past so I wouldn't disturb him.

Finally, I found myself in front of Jasper's room. The door was halfway open, creating a crack of light, and I peered inside to see him standing in the middle of the room, a thick book open in his hands.

He glanced up as he heard me. "Can't sleep?" he asked. I shook my head.

"Come in," he said quietly.

I walked in and stood awkwardly, my arms crossed over my chest.

He put the book down on the heavy oak desk and stood facing me.

"I've been meaning to ask you..." he started.

I immediately started thinking of what he had wanted to ask.

"Why'd you come here?" he finished, not in a rude way. Still, I felt as if he was accusing me of something.

"Because Bella's my friend," I said, my head tilting up.

He shook his head and chuckled lightly.

"What?" I asked.

"Alice, you are no doubt the strangest, most fascinating human I've ever met."

I felt blood rush to my face. "What do you mean by that?" I asked, looking up into his light golden eyes.

He smiled lightly. "Not many people would do that much for their friend," he replied quietly.

I looked away.

"A lot of people would," I insisted.

"Everyone's happier with you around," said Jasper. "Bella and Edward have their friend back. Nessie has someone to play with. Esme has someone to coddle, and Emmett has someone to tease. Carlisle enjoys getting the chance to observe another human who knows about our kind."

"And Rosalie?" I asked grudgingly.

His eyes strayed away from mines. "Rose...she doesn't hate you as much as she did Bella."

I rolled my eyes, before I became serious. "And you?" I asked, slightly embarrassed.

He was silent, and for a second I was afraid I'd said the wrong thing. Then, finally, he said, "You...feel the most interesting emotions. It's nice...sometimes."

My eyes stayed on my hands, which were twisting and untwisting the material of my black t-shirt. I had a pretty good idea about what he meant when he said "interesting."

Suddenly, I yawned. "Tired?" asked Jasper, standing up as I did. I was ready to go back to sleep.

He picked up his book. "You can stay here tonight," he said, leaving and shutting the door behind him before I could protest.

I sighed and slipped into the unused bed, surprised at how comfortable it was. I nestled my head into the pillow and fell asleep.


	16. Chapter 16

I groggily woke up the next morning, confused for a second as to where I was.

"Sorry," muttered Jasper. I practically jumped out of my skin as I turned, startled, and saw him sliding another book out of the bookshelf. "Did I wake you up?"

"No, not at all," I said, discreetly trying to smooth my hair.

He just looked at me for a second, before he suddenly said, "Do you want to go for a ride?"

"A ride?" I said blankly.

"Around the island."

"Uh, sure," I said, sliding off the bed. "Right now?"

"Yeah," he said, smiling slightly. "But if you want to eat first..."

"No, I'm not hungry," I said quickly, as I felt my stomach rumble.

He smirked slightly as my stomach contradicted my words. "Go eat. I'll meet you back here when you're done."

I went to the kitchen, ate, brushed my teeth, and changed before I walked back to Jasper's room. "Let's go," he said, leading me out of the house to the separate garage where the Cullens kept all their vehicles.

My jaw dropped open as I saw the garage. There were six cars and one motorcycle. I didn't know a lot about cars, but I could tell these probably cost a lot, judging from how they looked. A pair of legs were sticking out from the bottom of the red BMW, so perfect they could only be Rosalie's. She ignored us as Jasper led me to the silver motorcycle, handing me a helmet and climbing on. I grimaced as I placed it on my head. This would so mess up my hair.

Jasper laughed as he saw my expression. "Hold on," he said, and then he sped off.

I almost fell off backwards, not expecting him to start so fast. My arms wrapped around his waist, holding on for dear life as he pushed the motorbike faster, the island blurring around us. Bella had described Edward's crazy driving, and how it always scared her half to death, but I found it exciting. I enjoyed the adrenaline pumping through my veins, the wind whipping across my face as the coldness of Jasper's skin seeped through his shirt, cooling my own skin.

"How're you feeling?" yelled Jasper over the roar of the motorcycle.

"Fantastic!" I laughed.

Jasper sped up, but I wasn't concerned. I trusted him not to lose control or crash. I grinned again as he turned sharply.

Finally, the ride was over. I pulled the helmet off and ran a hand through my hair.

Jasper grinned at me, happy that I hadn't freaked out about his speed. I smiled back, obviously feeling happy if he was. "Can we go again sometime?" I asked excitedly, like a child on Christmas.

"Of course," he said back.

Suddenly, Rosalie came up and hissed something in Jasper's ear, too low for me to hear. When she walked away, his expression was a mix of frustration and sadness.

"What happened?" I asked in concern.

"Nothing," he said coldly, although his eyes were pained. "I have to leave." And with that, he rushed out of the garage.

Rosalie scowled at me as I left the garage. Instead of ignoring her, I turned towards her. "What's your problem?" I snapped, staring her right in the eye.

She looked surprised, obviously not expecting this kind of response.

"Why do you hate me?" I asked. "What did I ever do to you?"

Rosalie's lips turned up into a half-smile as I glared at her.

She finally sighed. "You're human. I'm not. I'd give anything to be you."

"But you're a freaking vampire!" I said. "You're drop-dead gorgeous, have a loving husband, loads of money, awesome superpowers, and you can live forever. What's there left to miss?"

She smiled again, this time a real smile. "You're not like Bella," she said thoughtfully. "Bella wouldn't confront me like that. She's always been intimidated by me. You're not bad, for a human," she decided. "And the one thing that I can't have but want is children. I'd give up all this for kids. Of course, Nessie is like a daughter to me, but still."

"Oh," I said awkwardly. I never would've guessed that all she wanted was kids. Then I remembered what had just happened. "What'd you tell Jasper?" I asked.

Her eyes strayed. "I can't tell you. Sorry."

I sighed and walked out of the garage into the house.

Jasper was there, looking at me with a strange expression. "I'm guessing you heard everything?" I said.

He nodded. "It's strange. I've never seen Rosalie take a liking to any human."

"What'd she say?" I asked again, the curiosity growing.

His eyes wandered. "Nothing. Just that...maybe it would be wiser if I avoided you."

My heart beat sped up slightly, not wanting that to happen. "Why? I trust you enough not to hurt me."

"Not because of that. I mean, it is because of that but...just..." he shook his head. "Never mind."

I'd never seen Jasper, or any vampire for that matter, stumble over their words. I didn't have any clue what Rosalie said, but it must've been something pretty important to make Jasper act like that.

I opened my mouth to demand why, but I felt a hand tug on my shirt. I looked down to see Nessie staring up at me with her big brown eyes. "Can we play?" she asked hopefully.

"Sure," I said and let her drag me off, looking at Jasper over my shoulder. His expression was soft, sadness showing in his eyes.

Over the next week, Jasper avoided me, as I did him. Still, sometimes I'd turn and catch him staring at me across the room, and the now-familiar blush would appear on my face.

I still wanted to know what Rosalie had said, why it made Jasper so upset, and what it had to do with me. Something had driven us apart, and I was determined to find out what.


	17. Chapter 17

A week later, I sat on the couch curled up with one of Bella's books. But my mind wasn't on whatever tale I was reading, it was on a certain blond-haired Southern vampire.

As I just reached the halfway mark, Edward sat down next to me. I jumped a little, not hearing him.

"You love him," he said, his voice not showing any emotion.

I immediately knew who he was talking about. "What? Love who?" I said blankly.

He rolled his eyes. "Don't try to deny it, Alice. You've been thinking about him for days, and he even appears in your dreams."

"Get out of my head," I muttered.

"I wish I could, it's not my fault you thoughts are so loud."

I looked down, ashamed. "He knows, doesn't he?" I said.

"Of course," said Edward.

"What does he...think about it?" I asked quietly.

"He's...confused. He feels something similar, but refuses to admit it. He knows you feel it, too, but can't tell that those feelings are directed towards him, the idiot," said Edward.

It didn't make any sense to me why Jasper would have any interest in me whatsoever. He was everything I wasn't- while I was loud and sometimes annoying, he was quiet and polite. He was tall and handsome, I was like a pixie- and not the pretty kind.

"What do you think about...it?" I asked Edward, not being able to think of a term to describe our relationship.

He obviously didn't expect me to ask that. He hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "I think that...you're good for Jazz. But then again, I don't know if it'll work out. With his thirst and all…" he trailed off.

I had guessed he might say something like that. "You told Bella, didn't you?" I asked.

Edward nodded. "She's ecstatic. She thinks that just because I managed not to hurt her while she was human, Jasper won't suck you blood." His tone became slightly annoyed. "She puts too much faith in him."

I believed Bella was right. I trusted Jasper and was almost positive he wouldn't hurt me. At least, I think he wouldn't.

"Don't be that trusting," Edward warned, hearing my thoughts. "I know he wouldn't do anything intentionally, but you never know."

I crossed my legs and leaned back against the couch. "So...now what?"

"Don't worry about it," murmured Edward. "Something will happen eventually, but whether that's good or bad…"

I closed my eyes and tried to see a glimpse of our future, but nothing came up. Whenever I needed to see something, I never could. That really sucked.

Suddenly, I heard Edward chuckle a bit. My eyes opened to see him grinning mischievously. He winked at me, stood up, and left.

Jasper came in just a few seconds after Edward left. "Walk with me," he said,and I stood up.

We went outside, and I avoided his gaze, choosing to look out at the waves crashing on the white sand.

"I heard the conversation," he said quietly.

My face turned red as I shoved my hands in my pocket and looked down at my shoes. I should've known he'd be listening. "And?" I asked carefully.

He sat down in the shade of a palm tree, and I sat down next to him. He turned to me. "And..." he paused and ran a hand through his hair, trying to figure out what to say. I didn't know how Jasper, who always knew what to say, was intimidated by me. "I don't know what to say," he finally said. "It's just...I know how you feel about me, and you know how I feel about you. But I don't want this to go further than what it already is, Alice."

I was crushed, but I nodded. "I understand. I mean, the whole human-vampire thing...it wouldn't make sense."

He gave a small nod. "I'm glad you understand."

"Yeah, I mean, I get if I'm not up to your expectations, you-"

"What?" he said blankly. "I'm talking about the fact that I struggle with my thirst and you're human. What did you think it was?"

"Oh," I said, feeling awkward. "I thought we were talking about how you're so perfect it hurts, and I'm so incredibly imperfect," I said. "I'm not what you want, what you deserve."

He laughed lightly. "I'm not asking for a piece of the sky, Alice. I just want you."

I was sure my face looked like a tomato by now. I hadn't expected him to be so...open. "Then why not?" I questioned.

"Because!" he explained. "It's dangerous. I'm a vampire. You're a human. And you know how I struggle with my thirst..."

"I trust you," I said. "I know you won't hurt me."

"You trust me, but I don't trust myself!" he said. "One mistake and you could be dead."

I kneeled in front of him. "Jasper," I said slowly. "Look at me. Do you want to suck my blood out right now?"

"No," he said honestly. "No, I don't."

I scooted closer and wrapped my arms around him, leaning my head against his chest. His arms came around me, too. "Now?" I asked.

He took a breath. "No," he said.

"See?" I said. "It's okay. We're okay."

He pressed his face against my hair, tentatively breathing in. "I guess you're right," he murmured.

I smiled and allowed myself to relax, just enjoying the perfection of the moment.


	18. Chapter 18

I woke up around midnight, sweating. I looked up and realized I was in Jasper's room. He was there, staring at me. "Were you watching me while I slept?" I asked, slightly weirded out.

He shrugged. "Edward used to do it all the time. Bella never minded, and she talks, too."

I already knew Bella talked in her sleep, of course, I'd heard her babbling during sleepovers. But Edward watched her? I had to admit, that was kinda creepy.

Jasper could tell, and he laughed. "I won't if you don't want me to," he said.

I shrugged. "I guess it's not that big of a deal, weirdness aside. But isn't it...I don't know, boring?"

Jasper smiled. "When you never sleep and live forever, pretty much anything becomes interesting."

"True," I agreed. "I wonder what I'd do with that much free time if I was a vampire. Probably shop," I mused.

I saw him stiffen slightly. I didn't get why, but then I realized I had talked about me being a vampire. "Are you really against it that much?" I asked, a bit crushed.

He sighed. "I don't want you to end up like Rosalie, hating immortality."

I rolled my eyes. "Trust me, I don't want kids. I don't think I'm quite cut out for that."

"Mmm," he said, seeming distracted. I tore my gaze away from his impressive book collection and looked at him instead.

His expression surprised me. It was one I'd seen often on Edward's face as he gazed at Bella- one of nothing but love. I had to admit, I'd been a tiny bit jealous, wondering why no one could look at me like that. I'd been too blind to realize Jasper had had the same expression when he looked at me for weeks.

Slowly, he tilted his face towards mine and gently pressed his cold lips to mine.

It wasn't a deep, passionate kiss- Jasper wasn't comfortable enough with his thirst for that. Still, in the brief seconds when his lips ghosted over mine, I decided I wouldn't have it any other way.

As he gently pulled away, I noticed something was off. His eyes weren't the soft gold I was used to, but a dark black, staring at me hungrily.

"Jasper?" I asked carefully. He tilted my head and I felt him smell my throat.

I was suddenly scared. My heart beat faster, increasing my blood flow. I was sure I probably smelled very appetizing to a thirsty vampire right now.

"Jasper, please..." I whimpered as I felt his teeth lightly graze my neck. This wasn't him, this wasn't the Jasper I knew. This was a hunter, ready to eat his prey.

As he was about to bite, I felt his body get thrown away from mine. I opened my eyes and saw Bella standing protectively in front of me. Her arms wrapped around me as Edward tried to restrain Jasper.

I let out a shaky breath. Jasper finally calmed down, the fire in his eyes disappearing. Bella picked me up and dashed down the stairs, away from the monster that wasn't Jasper.

"Are you okay?" asked Bella, concerned.

"Yeah," I said, my heart still pounding. "I'm fine."

She took me downstairs and gave me a glass of water which I didn't drink. I was still shaken up by how close I'd been to death in those few moments- and at the hands of Jasper.

Bella sat there with me, not speaking, until the sun started to rise.

Jasper was suddenly in the room, but at the other end. Away from me.

"Alice," he said, "You can't stay here. You have to leave."

"But-"

He cut me off. "You can't stay here. I'm dangerous. I don't want to hurt you. Edward agrees, too."

"Jasper, the Volturi-" started Bella.

"They shouldn't be much of a threat if Alice doesn't tell anyone. We trust her enough now to know she won't."

The next thing I knew, Edward was taking me back to the mainland in the family's boat. I had tried to protest, but even Bella agreed that it wasn't safe for me to be around Jasper anymore. That's when I suggested that it would be a lot easier if someone just bit me, but Jasper had gotten angry at that, saying there was no way he'd let that happen.

"Would he rather have me stay away from him than be turned into a vampire?" I asked Edward, the ocean wind ruffling through my hair. I had been under the impression that he'd really loved me, but maybe I had let myself be deluded and what we had was nothing more than a way to pass time.

"No," he said, "but he knows how unpleasant the transformation and the first few years as a newborn is. He doesn't want you to suffer through that. And he thinks that you'll change your mind about him."

"I-"

"I know," he cut me off. "But really, Alice, he's dangerous. This is for the better."

I sulked in my seat until he dropped me at the mainland where I waved goodbye and headed towards the airport.

When I finally reached home after the long flight, nothing had changed since I'd left, but it felt different. I knew it was just because I'd left my heart back at the island.

I started unpacking, taking my time. After all, I had nothing but time now- no Renesmee to entertain me with her childishness, no Bella to continue being my best friend even in her new life, no beautiful beaches and endless sun, no supernatural creatures, and most importantly, no Jasper. I was back to being a normal girl in a tiny, boring town.

There was a knock on the door, and I stopped rearranging my drawers to answer it. I opened it to see Embry. "Hey, come in," I said.

He did. "Jake told me you were back."

"Yeah, well, I am."

He nodded. "So you know everything?"

"Yup," I said.

His eyes ran over my tired, puffy face. "He also told me about you and the bloodsucker."

"Yeah, so?" I said, not bothering to argue with him about the bloodsucker comment.

"Are you okay?" he asked, concerned.

"Yeah," I sighed. "Just...you know."

He nodded in sympathy. "Well, I just came to say...I'm here if you need a friend."

I smiled at him. "Thanks, Embry." He'd been my friend since the very beginning, the one person I could trust. He would always be there.

He'd help me get through this.


	19. Chapter 19

"I was wondering…" I said to Embry.

"Yeah?" he grinned. I found my thoughts stuck on that grin, the way his white teeth contrasted with his coppery skin, the way it made me feel good that that smile was for me.

I shook myself out of my little daydream and said, "Can I see you in your wolf form?"

He hesitated for a second, but agreed. He led me outside into the woods. "Wait here," he said as he jogged off.

It had hardly been a minute before a sleek gray wolf with black spots slowly walked out of the trees. The wolf hesitantly came up to me before nudging my arm with his nose.

Carefully, I reached out and stroked the wolf's snout, giggling when he made a silly expression. "You're cute as a wolf," I murmured as I gazed at him.

He made another face before backing away into the trees. A moment later, Embry returned in his human form.

"You said I make a cute wolf," he said, grinning again.

This time, his smile tore my heart apart as, like a wave, thoughts of Jasper flooded my mind again. His smile, so different yet exactly the same as Embry's, seemed to be branded into my mind. I couldn't forget him, try as I may.

I was suddenly extremely confused. It was as if the lines between Jasper and Embry, two guys who I loved in very different ways, had merged into one.

I stepped closer to Embry, knowing it was him and not Jasper. Still, it seemed so real…

The next thing I knew, two hot hands were pushing me back. "What?" I asked Embry, surprised at his violence.

He looked extremely embarrassed as he stepped away from me. "Listen, Alice...I know you're upset about the leech, but honestly, I don't think what you're doing is wise. I mean, I'm flattered, but-"

"What just happened?" I asked him, confused.

He looked equally confused. "You tried to kiss me."

I looked at him with an expression of horror. "Really?"

He just nodded.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what happened, you were Jasper and I…" I shook my head. "Never mind. I'm just tired. I swear I didn't mean for that to happen."

He smiled a small smile. "It's alright. But if we agreed to not mention this again…?"

"Yeah, totally," I said. "Uh...I should be going."

He nodded once and ran the other way.

I went home and groaned as I sank down onto the couch. My stupid self-fulfilling desire had made things incredibly awkward, and now I was sure things wouldn't be the same between Embry and I ever I again. I guess I'd just lost my only remaining friend, too.

All of a sudden, I had a vision, just a quick flash. It had my father in it, a rare occurrence. He was standing in...a tux? There was a blond unfamiliar woman next to him, wearing a puffy, white, and frankly hideous dress. Wait...were they getting...married? What?

The vision faded, and I heard the door opening. "You're getting remarried?!" I cried as soon as the man himself stepped into the kitchen to wash his hands.

He frowned. "How do you know?"

Crap. I had forgotten he didn't know about my visions. "I just heard, from...people," I stammered.

"Ali, I haven't even told anyone about it yet. Hell, I haven't even bought a ring!"

Shoot. "Oh," I said.

"Ali!" he said, stepping forward. "How do you know?"

I shifted to my other foot nervously.

"Tell me!" he roared.

"Okay, okay," I sighed. "Um..." Should I tell him about my visions? Or not? I debate silently for a minute before I decided I might as well tell him.

I spilled it all out, telling him from when I started having them to now. His expression was livid as the last few words fell out of my mouth, and I wondered if I'd made the wrong choice.

When I finished, he grabbed my arm. "Get in the car!" he barked.

"Where are we going?" I whimpered.

"To the mental hospital," he growled.

I actually believed it was just sarcasm until he pulled up in front of the Seattle Institute for the Mentally Ill.

"You can't be serious!" I said, the waves of betrayal hitting me like a truck. Yes, I'd known my father wouldn't be happy about my visions, but I'd never known he'd take me to a mental hospital!

He didn't say anything, just dragged me inside. At this point I was struggling to fight back. No one helped, assuming I was crazy. "Mom wouldn't have wanted this!" I yelled as I tried to twist out of his grip. He ignored me and gestured to a lady who quietly injected something into my arm as everything blacked out.

When I regained consciousness, I was lying on a bed. I pushed myself up and gazed around the dark room, practically empty. A pair of baggy gray clothes sat on the bed, which I assumed was for me to wear.

Instead, I sat on the bed and let my head fall into my hands as I cried silently. All I'd wanted was to read Bella's diary. I wondered if I still would've done it if I'd known the consequences.

I stood up straight as I got my answer. Yes, I would, there was no doubt about it. And if I could survive everything that had been thrown at me so far, from my mother's and sister's death to having my heart crushed, I could survive this.

I'd make it through.

**A/N: Huge thanks to itsthefangirl for helping me with this chapter and being an awesome reviewer, as well as sibuna826twihard and csp4 for being frequent reviewers too :) **


	20. Chapter 20

I tried purposely searching for visions over the next two days. Mostly, it was just random flashes, nothing I could piece together to help me. Needless to say, it didn't improve my mood at all.

On day three, I was surprised when my little cell door creaked open to reveal a familiar person. "Embry?" I whispered. "What are you doing here? How'd they let you in?"

He flashed me a small smile. "I'm here to talk to you. And as for your second question...there's nothing a bit of money can't do," he winked.

I instantly broke down, relieved to see a familiar face. He patted my back awkwardly. "Are you okay?" he asked.

I took a deep breath and scrubbed at my face with my sleeve. "Yeah, I'm fine," I said. "I'm just happy to see you."

"It'll be alright," he said. "I mean, it won't take long to realize you're not actually insane, right? They'll have to let you out eventually."

"Maybe, but...I have nowhere to go."

"You could always go back to the Cullens, or you could stay on the Rez with me and the guys. You'll be safe either way," he said.

"Thanks, Embry," I said, smiling. As he grinned back, another vision struck upon me. I gasped as an image of a blond vampire with ruby-red eyes sauntered through the hospital, a menacing grin on his face. The front desk in the background was familiar to me. He was here, in the same place I was.

Embry shook my shoulders roughly. "Alice? What happened?"

I took a quivering breath in as I realized who the vampire was. "James- he's coming here. Soon."

"James? The bloodsucker that tried to kill Bella?"

I nodded. "Yes, him. And...I'm not sure, but I think it's because of me."

His brow furrowed. "Why you?"

I quickly connected the dots. "The Cullens tried to kill him when he attacked Bella. He wants revenge, but he can't hurt Bella anymore. So he's taking the easiest prey...me."

He instantly stiffened. Finally, he muttered, "I can't fight him and his coven alone. Most of the pack isn't in town right now. Crap, what do I do?" he said, more to himself than to me.

I gasped as a sudden realization hit me. "The Cullens," I said. "They might be in danger, too. What if he tracks them down? You have to warn him!" I yelled to Embry.

"I will, I will," he muttered, still engrossed in his plans.

"Right now!" I exclaimed. "Tell Jacob using the pack mind link. He'll pass it on the Carlisle."

"Okay, okay," he said, running away to change into his wolf form.

When he returned a few minutes later, he said, "Jasper's coming."

"What?!" I exclaimed. "I told you to warn them, not drag Jasper here!"

"I know," he said. "He found out. The others tried to stop him, but he wouldn't listen. He'll be here in a few hours to take you back to the island."

I sank down onto the bed and groaned. In my efforts to save him and the Cullens, Jasper had screwed everything up. "If he dies…" I said to Embry, "It'll be my fault."


	21. Chapter 21

"No, it won't," Embry said. "Alice, calm down. He'll be here by tomorrow. Everything will be okay. He'll get you out of here and the wolves will fight the other leech. We can't let him hunt here…" he muttered, not finishing his thought.

"No!" I exclaimed. "If you or any of the others get hurt..."

"We won't," he insisted. "Chill, we know what we're doing."

"But..."

He pressed a hand over my mouth. "Shh. I have to go warn the others. Stay here," he ordered, as if I could leave. And with that, he left. I'd lost count of how many people would be risking their lives for me today. Yes, I understood Jasper and Embry would want me to die about as much as I'd want them to. But did they have to be so damn stubborn in saving me?

The next few hours were lost in pacing anxiously and searching for visions. A few flashes with James appeared and I tried to fine more as if my life depended on it. Now that I thought about it, it did.

I gasped as I saw one of James walking smoothly through the waiting area. He gave the receptionist a grin, to which she cowered in reply. The bright red clock behind her read 5:18.

My eyes flashed to the similar clock on my wall. 4:37.

I started to panic. I was running out of time. My only hope was that Jasper would not come and the wolves would miss James. Then James could have me and get his revenge on the Cullens.

At 4:53, a familiar vampire burst through my door. Jasper.

His eyes were a warm gold, but they didn't do anything to comfort me. In fact, his panic was spreading, causing my heartbeat to accelerate even more. If James were to walk in right now, I was sure I'd smell very appetizing.

"We have to leave," he said, a sense of urgency in his voice.

"I know," I said. "James is coming, soon. At 5:18, to be exact."

His eyes flashed to the clock. "Follow me," he hissed, and strode out of the room. I followed him as fast as I could. No one seemed to pay us any attention, not even the receptionist- I guessed that money had been involved in that one. It wasn't everyday a patient in a mental hospital could just walk out without anyone stopping them.

The moment we got to the edge of the forest, out of the public eye, Jasper threw me on his back and ran.

I held on and squeezed my eyes shut. No visions appeared- I couldn't tell if that was a good sign or a bad one.

"What time is it right now?" I asked Jasper a while later.

"5:03," he said, and ran faster. "We don't have much time."

I took in a shaky breath, my eyes still shut. I saw James head towards the mental hospital, then suddenly change course and run towards the forest. "He's going to smell us, soon," I whispered in Jasper's ear. He growled something indistinguishable as we pushed on.

I was very aware that I could die soon. It seemed to put a whole new perspective on my life. What had seemed like eighteen long years now felt much shorter. I wondered what my father would do if I died. I didn't think he'd expected to not only outlive his wife, but both his daughters as well.

"If we both die, I'm sorry," I said to Jasper, wondering how cliché and cheesy it sounded.

"Sorry? For what?" he said, surprised but not slowing down.

"It's all my fault," I groaned into his shoulder. I saw James was gaining on us through my closed eyes. The last few minutes I had banked on were going to be greatly decreased. "I should've left Bella's diary alone. I never should have gone to see her."

"It's anything but your fault," said Jasper. "If I could have controlled my thirst, we could have been on the island right now, not running from James."

I didn't reply. There was no point arguing that it had nothing to do with his thirst, but that still didn't mean it was his fault.

I just prayed we'd both make it out alive.


	22. Chapter 22

"I can't see anymore!" I yelled, panicked. It had happened before, usually when I was tired, but right now, the adrenaline pumping through me didn't allow that.

"You can't see _anything?"_ asked Jasper.

"No!" I wailed into his shoulder.

"It's okay," he said. "We're almost to the ocean. He won't be able to smell us there."

Before I could reply, a figure lunged from behind us. A shrill scream left my mouth as cold hands gripped onto my waist and yanked me off of Jasper.

I turned and saw blood-red eyes which stood out from the pale face they belonged to. "Hello, Alice," he said with a chilling grin. His voice was deep in a soothing way, but it only caused me to be more terrified.

"James," I gasped out.

He gripped my arms tightly and turned me so I was facing Jasper. He snarled, but made no move towards James. I was in shock, the only things jolting me back to reality the coldness of James' grip.

"Jasper Hale," said James in a mocking tone. "I see we meet again. You really should've done a better job of killing me during the Bella incident," he mocked.

Jasper crouched down and prepared to leap forward. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," taunted James. "One step forward, and she dies," he chuckled darkly. His breath tickled against my throat. All I could do at that point was close my eyes and hope it wouldn't be too painful.

"I must say," said James, "You smell delicious. Not nearly as good as Bella, though."

I heard Jasper growl, but he didn't approach us. Of course not.

"If you hurt her," Jasper warned, "_I will kill you." _

"You would kill me anyway," replied James. "Might as well get my revenge on the Cullen clan before I die."

It was strange. If someone had told me a few months ago I was going to die at the hands of a monster so he could get revenge on my vampire lover and his family for trying to kill him when he tried to eat my best friend, I never would've believed them. In fact, I would have laughed in their face and told them they were crazy. How funny it was that this was how I was going to die.

I spent a long minute staring at Jasper, making sure he'd be the last thing I saw. He looked as if he wanted nothing more than to lunge forward and rip James' throat out, but the second he decided to take a step forward, James would sink his teeth into my neck and it would be all over.

It was like a scene in a cheesy movie: the bad guy holds a gun to the girl's head, while her boyfriend stood there helplessly. Somehow, though, they always got a happy ending.

Then, out of seemingly nowhere, a large wolf tackled James to the ground, just barely missing me. "Let's go," said Jasper, scooping me off the floor where James had dropped me.

"No, wait!" I yelled as he ran. "What about Embry?"

"He'll be fine," assured Jasper. "It's just one vampire."

"No!" I protested, trying to squirm out of his arms. "What if he's hurt?"

He tightened his grip. "He'll be fine, Alice, I promise."

"How do you know?" I said stubbornly.

He suddenly stopped and turned around. "Look," he said. A tall column of smoke rose from the trees behind us, disappearing into the sky. The faint smell of something burning reached my nose. "James is dead, Alice," Jasper whispered.

I sighed in relief, letting my body relax in Jasper's arms. "Now what?" I asked.

"We're going back to the island," he said.

"You realize I'll be reported missing, right?" I asked. "I mean, I did just escape from a mental hospital and am about mysteriously disappear."

He smirked slightly. "The Cullens don't have endless money for nothing. We'll take care of it."

I sighed quietly. "Then back to the island it is."


	23. Chapter 23

I guess I fell asleep, because when my eyes opened, I was in a familiar room. The bright sunlight that I missed so much slanted through the windows.

I turned to see soft golden eyes watching me. "Hey," I rasped out.

Jasper's eyes traveled down my face. "We have to talk," he said. "All of us. Come down to the living room when you're ready."

I nodded.

"I'll see you there," he murmured and left.

I walked into the living room, where the entire family was assembled. I gave Bella a hug and Edward a quick grin before taking a seat.

"Welcome back, Alice," smiled Esme.

"Thank you," I said, smiling back. "I'm happy to be back."

"Stop with the small talk," hissed Edward. "We are all in danger right now."

I froze as I wondered what it could be now. James was dead, and unless he had some freaky power that could bring him back to life as a vampire-zombie, he would never bother us again. All eyes turned to Edward.

"Nothing," he growled, "escapes the Volturi. Do you think this James incident passed without them knowing? Of course not. Aro probably heard about it, as well as about Alice. And you know he's still upset about the incident with Renesmee. He won't hesitate to attack us. Might I remind you, this is the second time a human knows about vampires because of us? We're all as good as dead if we don't fight back."

"This is all my fault," Bella and I groaned simultaneously. We glanced up at each other and smiled, but it lacked any humor.

"It's no one's fault," comforted Jasper, sending waves of calm throughout the room. "What's done is done. Now we have to figure out our next move."

"Well, there's a simple solution to all this," said Bella.

"Which is?" asked Jasper skeptically.

"Change Alice."

I looked up, mildly shocked. Of course, it was the easiest way out. There was no doubt in my mind that I would want to be changed. Who would turn down eternal youth, beauty, awesome powers, and eternity with their friends and family? No sane person, that was for sure.

"Absolutely _not!" _hissed Jasper. "No way! I won't allow it!"

Just like that, my happy smile deflated. It seemed that Jasper was, in a sense, over me. No longer did he love me, no longer did he want to spend eternity with me by his side. I suppose it was understandable, but it still stung sharply.

"This isn't about you anymore," snapped Edward at him. "I understand how you feel, but I will not allow my wife and daughter to be put in danger because of your stubbornness."

"Don't you think you should ask Alice what she thinks?" said Emmett.

All heads turned to me. I shrugged nervously. "I'm fine with anything," I said. If Jasper didn't want me anymore, I'd do whatever the others thought was best. I wanted to save the Cullens, but at the same time, a life without love seemed dull.

Edward's hand angrily slammed down on the coffee table, breaking it in half. Esme glared at him, but Edward didn't seem to notice. "This is your life, Alice!" he yelled. "This isn't like choosing between which top to buy!"

"Edward!" Esme chided. I understood Edward was just concerned about Bella and Nessie, but I still felt tears pool in my eyes. I was just so confused. I wanted this, but I didn't. I wanted to help as much as I could, but I didn't want Jasper to be mad if I turned immortal.

Esme wrapped an arm around my shoulders tenderly and led me into the kitchen. "Sit," she said, pointing to to the counter. "Bella, dear, can you make sure no one is listening?"

"Of course," Bella replied, and I could hear her urging everyone out of the house.

When the door slammed shut, I released my tears. "I'm just so confused," I cried.

She patted my shoulder. "About what?" she asked gently.

"I love him!" I sobbed, "But he doesn't love me! I don't know what to do. I love all of you, too, but I don't want Jasper to be angry!"

"Whoever said Jasper doesn't love you?" she said.

"He won't even look at me anymore," I whimpered. "I disgust him."

"Alice," she said, "If my son didn't love you, would he have gone all the way to Seattle to save you?"

I thought about it. "I guess not."

"And have you ever wondered that he doesn't want you to change because he's insecure that you wouldn't love him?"

"But that's ridiculous," I protested.

"Just as you're being right now," she said with a small smile. "Jasper loves you, Alice. And regardless of what you choose, he'll support you. Maybe not right now, but he will."

I gave her a watery smile. "Thanks, Esme. You're the best."

She pulled me into a gentle hug. I wondered if this is what it would feel like to have my mother still alive. Someone I could trust and look up to.

"Let's go," said Esme, pulling me off of the counter. "You have an important decision to make."

"Yes, I do," I agreed under my breath. I walked into the connecting room, ready to face the Cullens, but most of all, face Jasper.


	24. Chapter 24

Bella popped her head through the door just as I entered. "You're done talking with Esme?" she asked. I nodded. She gave everyone else the okay and a troupe of vampires paraded in.

I gazed at each person for a few moments, finally settling my eyes on Jasper. He seemed calm and cool, just like usual.

I took a shaky breath. "I've decided I want to be changed," I said. "But I have a few conditions."

Carlisle nodded. "Go on."

Another breath. "Firstly, I want you to prevent me from hurting any human. I will survive on your 'vegetarian' diet. No exceptions," I said firmly.

"Actually," said Carlisle, "I don't think we'll have to prevent you from doing so."

I blinked. "What?"

"Well," he said, "Ever since Bella's transformation, I have been curious as to what allows her to restrain from human blood almost as well as myself. As you know, as vampires, we take our strongest traits with us from our human lives- Jasper's unusual sense of empathy, for example. Bella had always been a mental barrier to Edward and members of the Volturi, so it is not surprising she is a shield as a vampire. However, in her human life, she never had any reason to restrict herself from blood of any sort. It didn't immediately come to me how she acquired her power. Then, I realized the only way it would make sense as to why she had this restraint was if it was based on mental preparation for a new life. None of us, besides her, had any sort of idea what was going to happen to us, and none of us have her extraordinary sense of avoiding human blood. However, Bella guessed that she would eventually shed her humanity when she first realized what Edward was. She was expecting this for nearly a year. Since you also know of your fate beforehand, I'm guessing it may work the same way for you. However, it may not be on the same level, because you have nowhere near the same amount of preparation as she has had. Despite that, I still feel you'll have more restraint than the average newborn."

I blinked. "Oh. Okay, then. Guess that won't be a problem."

"Any other conditions?" asked Bella.

"Yeah, one more," I said, and paused. "I want to be changed now."

"Right now? As in today?" asked Edward.

I nodded. "Before I change my mind."

"No," growled Jasper lowly. "You haven't even thought this through!"

I gave him a look. "That's kind of the point."

"You're rushing into it," he insisted. "Think this through, Alice, please. I don't want you to regret it later." His golden eyes bore into mine as waves of persuasion hit me.

I tried to clear my mind of the haze surrounding it. "No," I said firmly. "I want to help. Now."

Edward shrugged. "We can't argue with her if that's what she wants, Jasper."

Jasper hissed and stalked off. "I'm going to the mainland to hunt. Call me when it's over." Stopping only to glance back at me, he ran out the front door.

I felt like crying as he left. Jasper still wouldn't accept that this was what I wanted. Esme patted my shoulder in comfort.

"Where would you like to do this?" asked Carlisle.

"Anywhere, I guess," I muttered.

"How about in the library?" he said, walking towards it. "We want to keep you as far away as possible from Nessie and Jacob, of course."

I nodded and followed him, the other family members coming along. It was comforting, to know that they were all there to help and support me.

I was a bit scared as I followed the doctor's figure. I knew that it always hurt to be changed, but I told myself it couldn't be that bad. Why else would Bella want to be changed?

I sat cross-legged on the middle of the floor awkwardly. Obviously, I've never experienced a human get bitten. This was all new to me.

After exchanging a glance with Edward, Carlisle kneeled next to me. "Are you sure you'd like to do this?" he asked quietly. "Last chance."

"I'm sure," I whispered, starting to doubt myself as I said it.

His pale hand picked up mine. I looked away as he raised it to his teeth. I was suddenly reminded of how I'd have to go to the doctor's office to get my shots when I was little, and I'd similarly turn away as the needle would pierce my skin.

I didn't feel anything. I looked around the room of concerned vampires, then down at my hand. "That wasn't too-"

I was cut off by a scream as pain ripped through me. With a shock, I realized it was my own. It felt like my hand was on fire, but looking at it, I could see it was not.

I heard Esme's dry sobs and Bella's concerned whispers as I continued screaming. I quickly shut up. No one else had to relive their transformation through me.

I tried to force myself to stay still, but my body writhed silently in pain. I'm sure it would look comical from someone else's perspective, but no one laughed.

The pain washed over me. I recalled when I'd burnt myself once a few years ago when I'd grabbed a hot pan on accident, the way the heat had shocked me. This was easily a million times worse.

I wondered how long it had been. The fire took over my eyes, and I squeezed them shut.

I could hear quiet murmurs, and people walking in and out. I focused on my future family's beautiful voices, their light footsteps, and wondered if I'd sound the same in a while.

I wished Jasper had stayed. The pain would be more bearable, if only he was here to soothe the fire.

Sometimes, cold hands touched me, trying to get me to hold still. They seemed especially cold compared to the fire, but provided no relief.

I thought of my father. I wondered if he'd found out I left the mental hospital, and how he'd reacted. Maybe he'd snap out of the deep depression he'd sunk into after my mother and Cynthia died. Maybe he'd drown in it.

I sighed mentally and settled into the seemingly-infinite pain, determined to wait it out.


	25. Chapter 25

The burning would not stop.

I wasn't sure how long it had been. I felt like I was going to burst out in tears from the pain, but no liquid pooled in my eyes. In fact, it felt like all the fluids in my body were being dried up by the fire the venom brought.

Then, barely noticeable, my fingers cooled.

This brought me much more excitement than it should have. It started to get faster, until my arms were free from their fiery enclosure. Then it was my head, torso, and my lower half. Like magnets, they all seemed to be pulling towards my heart, and with with final gasp of pain, I felt nothing.

My eyes were closed, but even the darkness seemed different though my new eyes. Then, I remembered they would be no longer brown, but a ghastly red.

"Alice?" I heard a female voice chime. Bella's.

"She's okay," said another voice, this time male. Even with my new ears, it took no time to recognize it as Jasper's.

With his memory, his face came into mind. Still, it was blurry and warped, like a picture that came out strange. Craving to see him again, I opened my eyes. With that, the burning returned, but only in my throat.

I sat up before I even consciously decided to. "Thirsty," I croaked out, unable to even make a full sentence.

"Of course," muttered Carlisle. It would have been undetectable to my human ears, but now I heard it as if he'd said it loud and clearly. He picked up a clear bag of red liquid, which I snatched out of his hands, no longer cold to me.

I drank deeply. The blood was sweet, the thick hotness soothing the pain. When it was empty, I frowned at it and tossed it aside. My thirst was nowhere near quenched. Still, I finally took my first real look with my new eyes.

Everyone was a safe distance from me, which was understandable- Bella told me the same thing had happened after her transformation. Bella was smiling at me around Edward's protective stance. Her face seemed oddly brighter, as did everyone else's, but it only increased their beauty.

My eyes lingered on Jasper. He looked emotionless, but I could feel him radiating them- nervousness, joy, fear, relief, all mixed in.

I opened my mouth to say something, but my hands flew to my throat again. The burning flared up again.

Jasper held out a hand toward me. "Let's go hunt," he smiled brilliantly.

I couldn't help but smile back, giddy with joy. This was it. I'd overcome the hardest part. I was forever immortal, and best of all, Jasper had accepted it.

I took his hand without hesitation. It was as smooth as marble and the same temperature as mine. He pulled me up and twirled me around as I laughed. Then, I froze.

A girl was reflected in the dark window. She had dark hair and was short, like me, but that was where the similarities stopped.

She had pale skin and a slender frame. She had cheekbones and pale, pink lips. Her eyes, though, stood out the most. Blood-red, framed by dark lashes. She looked dainty and beautiful and everything I wasn't. And I loved it.

I didn't realize I'd started to reach forward to press my hand against the glass. Suddenly, it shattered and broke.

I looked at my hand. I hadn't pushed that hard. I guessed all this strength was something I had to get used to, but the thought didn't dampen my spirits at all.

My throat burned again, bothering me like a fussy child. "You can admire yourself later," Edward teased. "Go hunt."

"Okay," I said, and turned towards the door. Immediately, I was stopped.

"Uh...Nessie is downstairs, and…" trailed off Bella.

"Oh. Yeah," I said. "How do we get down now?"

Jasper rolled his eyes, a smile on his face. Then, he lept out the window. I watched as he landed silently on his feet, and turned towards me in expectation.

I glanced down at the rocks protruding from the hard dirt and smiled. Even if I fell from the roof, I wouldn't feel any pain. So I flung myself out the window confidently, and then landed face-first on the dirt.

Everything was silent, and then Edward and Emmett burst out laughing. "It helps if you actually make an effort to land on your feet, instead of diving out the window," Edward gasped through his laughs.

"I was just testing to see if it would hurt," I said, standing up and brushing dirt off me.

"Well, it certainly hurt your ego," Edward replied.

If this had happened a few days ago, my cheeks would be flaming. "Shut up," I muttered pathetically and turned away.

Bella pushed her husband out of the way and looked out the window. "Ignore them, Alice," she said. "Just go."

I glared at the pair, still laughing at me, and turned to Jasper. "Let's run," he said, and took off into the woods.

I didn't hesitate, darting in and out of the trees while following him. Running in this new body felt more like flying, and the jumping incident was forgotten as I giggled in happiness.

Jasper stopped, and so did I. He pulled me to his chest in a tight hug, but it didn't hurt me. Then, he grasped my face and kissed me, for the first time not keeping any barriers between us. I was his and he was mine, and we were finally equal.


	26. Chapter 26

"Jasper," I rasped. "Thirsty." I hated to interrupt our moment, but I wasn't sure how much longer I could take it.

"Right," he said, and pulled away. "Okay, go."

I stared at him. "Jasper, I don't know how to hunt."

He laughed. "It's easy." He walked around me so he was behind me. "Just follow your instincts."

Glancing skeptically at him, I looked around. I didn't see any obvious prey. "Try smelling," he prompted.

I breathed deeply through my nose. I kept focusing on the scent of the fresh rain, but I ignored it and sniffed again for anything appetizing.

My eyes flew open as a tangy scent hit my nose. I looked to Jasper. "Just go," he said.

And so I did.

I flew through the trees towards whatever I smelled. The sounds of two deer reached me. Then I saw them and lunged.

Everything happened so fast. When I regained myself, I wasn't thirsty anymore. The deer's corpse lay across my lap. I shoved it off in disgust.

Jasper was simply watching me from a distance, a smile playing across his lips. "Don't watch me," I said. "It's unsettling."

"Sorry," he apologized lightheartedly. "I can't believe you're one of us now. It's just as strange for me as it is for you."

"I doubt that," I say. "Do you remember what it was like for you? When you first...woke?"

He thought about it for a second. "Yes. Very clearly. It wasn't very exciting. Maria was there."

"Maria?"

"Do you remember my story?" he asked. "She was the one that changed me."

"Oh, yeah," I said, flashing back to the muddled human memory.

"Are you still thirsty?" he asked suddenly. I shook my head. "Then let's go home."

His words filled me with pleasure. It wasn't just any home now, it was _my _home. Our home.

It didn't take long to reach there. "How was it?" asked Bella when we entered, hand in hand.

That was when I had my first vision as a vampire.

Dark cloaked figures made their way across the sandy beach of the island. They were very obviously vampires. The one in front threw his hood off and grinned. His pale skin glimmered in the harsh sun. He stared directly at me and gestured for me to come forward.

I gasped as the image faded away. "The Volturi," said Edward. "Alice, what was that? Why were they here?"

I shook my head. Edward seemed to be extremely panicked at my vision. "I don't know."

"Do you know when they're coming?" he asked.

I feel useless. "No."

"They're coming for Alice," he says to the family. I stiffen.

"But how do they know?" asks Jasper, protectively wrapping an arm around me.

"It doesn't matter," snarls Rosalie. "They want her, and won't leave without her."

"Wait!" I yell. "What's going on? Who are these guys? And why do they want me?"

Bella looked at me. "Remember when you first came to the island? We told you."

I struggled to remember. "Um...yeah. The vampire king dudes, right?"

"They're not just 'vampire king dudes,'" growled Edward. "They're extremely powerful, and won't stop for anything."

"But why me?" I asked.

"Your power," explains Carlisle. "I've never met a vampire who could predict the future, and I doubt they have, either. Any coven would kill for someone like you, Alice."

"Okay, there's an easy solution. I go and tell them no, and they leave us alone."

"It's not that easy," hissed Jasper. "They will come here and do whatever they can to have you- kidnap you, threaten you, even fight us."

"Fight you?" I gasped. "No, no, no. No one's fighting anyone. How about...how about I agree to go with them, then escape somehow? I won't come back here, of course. Somewhere else…"

"They have Chelsea, that won't be possible," muttered Edward, pacing back and forth.

"Who?" I asked.

"Chelsea can make or break emotional ties," said Jasper. "She'll make you feel attached to the Volturi. You won't want to leave...ever."

"My shield can prevent that," said Bella. "Remember when they came for Renesmee? It worked then."

"But you won't be with Alice if she pretends to join them," pointed out Emmett.

"Unless," said Jasper, "Bella pretends to join them as well." He looked at her pointedly.

"If Bella's going, so am I," growled Edward.

Emmett rolled his eyes. "Why don't we _all _just fake joining the Volturi?"

"Jasper has a good idea," said Bella. "I think we should do it. Alice and I go to Volterra, while you all move to a different location. We escape, then join you."

"What about Aro?" asked Rosalie. "If he reads your mind and sees your plan…"

"I'm immune to that too," said Bella. "But we need an excuse as to why I'm keeping a shield around us all the time…"

"Privacy?" suggested Jasper. "Alice is your friend, and Aro knows you're not exactly fond of him. It would make sense to keep him out of your minds. As for Chelsea, no one would want her to use her powers on them. Tell him it would make you feel uncomfortable to be manipulated like that."

"What if he guesses their plan?" asked Rosalie.

"We'll just have to be as convincing as possible," muttered Bella.

"Wait!" I exclaimed over the excited chattering. The room fell silent. "I'm not putting Bella in danger for this. If she gets hurt, it's my fault."

"I agree," said Edward. "Bella is safe with me."

"She's not a child, Edward," said Esme quietly.

Edward looked at her incredulously. "You too, Esme?"

"It's not that I don't care for Bella," she said. "I know she's strong, Edward. She can handle it."

"Alright, then it's settled," said Bella over the complaints and protests of Edward and I. "Alice and I will go with the Volturi to Italy as soon as they come."

"How long will you be there?" asked Edward.

"We'll escape as soon as we can," promised Bella.

I sighed. I guess there was no stopping this plan now.


	27. Chapter 27

"Wait," said Emmett. "What about Demetri?"

Jasper swore softly. "How did I forget about him?"

"Who's he?" I asked, curious about this new obstacle.

"Demetri is a tracker," replied Edward. "The best in the world. Even if you and Bella manage to escape, it won't take him long to find you."

"Wouldn't my shield work against that, too?" asked Bella. "I mean, don't trackers use the victim's mind to find them?"

Edward briefly considered this. "It depends. James could track you, because he was following your scent. If we can find a way to hide your scent, and you manage to keep your shield up, then it's unlikely Demetri will be able to find you."

"How do you disguise a vampire's scent?" I asked.

"Changing clothes will mask it, but it might not be enough," said Jasper. "Same with perfumes. The only way I can think of to mask it is with the scent of a werewolf. It's supernatural, not just something everyone can smell, so it might work."

Edward looked excited. "Where's the mutt? Get him over here."

Bella took off and returned hardly a few seconds later with Jacob trailing behind her. Passing Renesmee to Esme, he stood awkwardly in the center of the room.

Out of everyone in the household, Jacob was the one I knew least about. He often traveled back and forth between the island and Forks to stay with his pack, while also spending time with Nessie. He was also roughly two feet taller than me, but as a vampire, I didn't feel intimidating. As his scent hit me, however, I did feel repulsed. "What's up?" he asked in a low voice.

Jasper looked to Edward. "You're not considering-"

Edward cut him off. "No, he's not going with them."

"Going where? What's going on?" he asked.

Bella and Jasper quickly filled him in. "So, basically," he said, "You need to somehow bottle up my scent and carry it with you like some kind of perfume?"

"Basically," smirked Edward. "Now we just need to figure out how."

"Easy," said Jasper and ran out, returning with a bottle and a knife. He handed both to Jacob.

Without hesitation, he made a deep slice in his hand and let the blood flow into the bottle. When his wound healed, it was almost full- plenty for the both of us. He handed it to Bella. "Here you go. 100% pure werewolf stench."

"Thanks, Jake," said Bella gratefully as she capped the bottle.

He grinned at her. "No problem, Bells," he said. "Stay safe, alright?"

Bella nodded and gave him a quick hug before turning back to us.

"Wait a second," I said. "If Demetri can track anyone, can't he just track you guys instead?" I asked, looking at the rest of the family. "It's no good if you're in danger, too."

"He won't if he knows what's good for him," said Emmett, a fierce smile on his face. "He's outnumbered, and knows the three of us can kick his ass. Hell, I've been _waiting _to kill that crazy bastard."

"And if he decides to bring the guard with him?" asked Jasper, crossing his arms. "We don't stand a chance."

"No worries," smirked Edward, tapping his forehead. "I've seen Demetri's mind. He prefers working independently, and isn't the brightest. He'll come alone or not at all."

"I guess we're ready to go then," said Bella. "Now we just wait for them to come."

* * *

**A/N: Early update! I have a poll on my profile regarding this story, and I would love for you guys to go vote. It's about whether there should be a character death or not. All I can say is if I decide to, then the character will NOT be Alice or Jasper. **


	28. Chapter 28

Edward urged me to search for more visions during the next few days. I would spend hours at a time, alone in a room, pushing my power to its limit. I would get some useful images, all showing positive things- which was relieving.

However, most of the time, I got useless little flashes- an outfit I was going to buy soon, a rare sunny day in Forks. Nothing that would help in our mission.

"It's because you're pushing yourself too much," said Jasper one afternoon as I ranted to him about my frustration while nervously unpacking and repacking my bags, all set for the trip to Volterra. Not that I needed to tell him for him to know, of course. "Stop letting Edward tell you what to do," he said. "Just take a day off. Relax." As his words left his mouth, a soothing aura spread throughout the room.

"I don't have time for that," I murmured, but I could feel myself giving in to his power.

"Edward's just worried about Bella," replied Jasper. "We all know she's going to be fine, but he refuses to accept it. Let that be his problem. I'm worried about _you." _

"But I want to help," I insisted.

"Then help," said Jasper. "But trust me, Alice, you're going to get nowhere like this. You need to relax. Let the visions come as they may."

I sighed and dropped the shirt I'd been clutching as I let the calm take over me. I sagged against Jasper in defeat. "Let's talk about something else," I suggested wearily. If I were still human, this would be a great time to take a nap.

His hand softly stroked my hair. "How are you liking being a vampire so far?" he asked, a hint of amusement in his tone.

I sighed and closed my eyes. "I like it, I guess. There's just been so much going on, I haven't had time to absorb it all, you know?" I paused. "It's ironic, in a way, I suppose. When I told my father about my power when I was still human, he saw me as a freak. And now, it's like...an invaluable tool."

"Don't worry," he said soothingly. "This will all be over soon, then we have all of eternity to do whatever you want."

Whatever I want. I opened my eyes and stared into his, red and gold, blood and topaz. "I want you," I whispered.

His hand, softly petting my hair, froze for a moment before continuing. Jasper was silent for a long time. "Not now," he murmured.

"Jasper...I don't know if I'm even going to survive this. I-"

"You will make it back," he said, swiftly cutting me off. "I'm sure of it. And when you do, we have all the time in the world. There's no need to rush."

I sighed, accepting of his words. "You shouldn't be so sure, though," I said quietly.

"Hmm?" he replied, distracted.

"Of me coming back alive."

"Why not?" he asked. "You and Bella are both extremely talented vampires, both with your powers and your minds. There's no reason to believe otherwise. And Alice?"

"Yes?"

"You're not a freak or a tool," he said, referring back to earlier in the conversation. "You're Alice," he said, a small smile spreading across his face.

I couldn't help but laugh, but abruptly stopped when I was once again reminded that this was one of our last days together for a few weeks- maybe even months. Possibly even forever. The prospect saddened me, but I didn't dwell on it- I wanted to focus on now and here.

That didn't last for long, though, as I was hit with another vision. A young blond female vampire, maybe about fifteen or sixteen, grinned sadistically as a much, much larger vampire writhed in pain on the floor at her feet. Her blood-red eyes swayed from his figure to me, and I gasped before it faded away.

Jasper's voice suddenly came through to me. "What was it? What did you see?" he asked sharply.

"Nothing relevant," I stammered. "It didn't involve Bella or me." That was true, but I was still terrified at what I had seen- I had underestimated the power of the Volturi. If its smallest members could have a vampire on the floor, begging for mercy, I didn't want to know what the rest could do.

Jasper still insisted that I told him, so slowly, I did. He looked thoughtful afterwards. "The smaller girl who was torturing him was definitely Jane- you don't have to worry about her. She can't get through Bella's shield. As for the larger one…" he didn't get to finish. The door was suddenly roughly pushed open- it barely stayed attached to the doorframe. Rosalie's face greeted us, her eyes frantic. She opened her mouth, gasping like she'd just completed a marathon.

"They're here."

* * *

**A/N: The poll from last time is tied, so if you haven't voted yet, please go ahead and do. **


	29. Chapter 29

It took very little time for my improved mind to register her words. Almost immediately, Jasper and I jumped up and dashed down the stairs and out the front door.

As in my vision, cloaked figures strode across the sand. They were in a 'V' shape, with the tip towards us. It reminded me of a flock of geese.

I waited for the front one to throw off his hood. Ruby-red eyes set in pale, glimmering skin, all surrounded by a sheet of dark hair, revealed themselves. Slowly, the man chuckled. "Ah, Carlisle," he greeted, extending his arms to the doctor like old friends. "What a pleasure to meet you again."

"Aro," greeted Carlisle stiffly.

Aro's gaze focused on each face, one by one, settling on Nessie's. "My dear Renesmee!" he said enthusiastically, looking down at the little girl's face. "I see you are still growing- healthily, too."

"I am," was her reply. She was trembling slightly- from fear or anger, no one except Jasper knew.

Aro's eyes swiveled to Jacob, who was still in human form but seemed ready to transform any second. "I see you still have the dog with you," he commented, ignoring the growls in reply. I gripped Jasper's and tightly as I awaited him eyes to land on me.

"I don't think we've had the pleasure of meeting," he grinned when they did. He stepped forward, and a smooth hand emerged from his cloak, sticking out for a handshake. His eyes shone as he stood, anxious to read every thought I've had. I quickly shook my head, causing his smile to grow wider.

"Now, Carlisle," he said, turning back towards him, "I'm sure you are aware why we're here."

"Yes, I am very aware," he said, holding tightly to Esme. I felt my stomach clench as I remembered she wasn't the one they wanted.

Like in my vision, Aro turned towards me and gestured forward. "Alice? Would you care to join us?"

I felt Jasper's breath near my ear. "Resist at first," he whispered, barely audible.

"No," I squeaked. My stomach flopped- I was nervous. The entire fate of the Cullen coven rested on my weak, pathetic shoulders.

Calm spread through the air, wrapping my body like a blanket of safety. "No," I repeated loudly. "I am not leaving my family to join you."

Aro spread his arms out wide. "We are much better than your family, Alice. We are stronger than the Cullens. Think of all you can have with us. Endless money. A whole team of the most talented vampires in the world at your side. Everything you could ever want. Just come with us." His eyes shone with greed.

I pretended to waver. I glanced back and forth between the two covens. "Just think about it," Aro urged.

I stalled for a few more moments. "Alright," I said, releasing Jasper's hand. "I accept your offer."

Aro smiled in victory. "I will go retrieve my belongings," I told him, and dashed into the house before I broke down completely.

I dry sobbed as I gathered my stuff. Jasper was right on my heels. "It will be okay," he promised. "We have a plan. In a few weeks, this will be all over. Alright?"

I nodded and quietly regained myself. "I'll miss you," I whispered. Before I changed my mind, I threw my arms around him, quickly pressed my lips to his, and ran out the door. When I exited, there was a smile plastered across my face. Did it just feel fake, or did it look that way, too? I walked across the sand until I was standing next to the Volturi.

"Bella? Edward?" Aro asked. "Would any of you like to join us today?"

It was then I realized the flaw in our plan. Aro hadn't known Jasper was my mate- that's why he believed me when I said I would join. Bella and Edward, however, were another matter. Aro knew their relationship, and would have to be a fool to believe Bella would leave Edward to join him. "I will," said Bella.

Aro's eyebrows flew up in surprise. "You are leaving your mate?" he asked as I expected.

Bella looked to Edward. "Yes," she said. "He is no longer my mate. I was a fool to fall into his trap and give up my humanity for him. My only regret is that it took so long for me to realize this." I had to admit, she was pretty convincing. I guessed those acting classes Charlie has signed her up for as a kid had paid off.

Still, I knew how much it pained her to say that, and for Edward to hear that. Without a backwards glance, she, too, got her things and stood beside me.

"Alright, then!" exclaimed Aro enthusiastically, although I didn't doubt that he was still a bit suspicious of Bella. "Let's go!"

All the vampires filed onto a large boat. My guess was that they'd stolen it. I waved goodbye to the Cullens as Bella stared stolidly the other way, still pretending to detest Edward and his family. "It'll be okay," I murmured to her.

"I hope so," she whispered back.

"Do you have your shield up?"

She nodded slightly.

"So," a female voice sneered. We both turned to see a short vampire. I froze as a recognized her- it was the girl who was torturing the larger vampire in my vision. Jane, Jasper had called her. "Guess you're one of us now."

"Guess we are," I remarked in reply. "I'm Alice."

"I know," she said dryly. "I'm Jane. I just wanted to say, I'm Aro's number one here. And you better not even think about taking my spot, or you'll regret it...trust me." A creepy smile crept across her girlish features.

I wasn't quite sure how to reply. Luckily, a boy who looked quite similar to her approached. "Don't mind her," he said. "I'm Alec." He gave us a small grin afterwards. I was surprised at his behavior- I had expected everyone to be harsh, cruel people. I suppose I was wrong. After all, we were on their side now. There was no reason for anyone to act hostile, unless, of course, they were Jane, who seemed to be rude to everyone.

Alec introduced us to the others, although Bella knew most of them from when they came to see Renesmee. Felix was a good-natured, flirty vampire who had incredible physical strength- in a way, he reminded me of Emmett. Demetri was a close friend of his, and not nearly as intimidating as I had imagined. He wasn't very smart, as Edward said, but was polite in a charming sort of way. Heidi was an extremely beautiful vampire, almost as gorgeous as Rosalie, whose job was to lure prey into the Volturi castle. She seemed polite enough, but knowing what she did made me want to avoid her. Chelsea seemed very fashion-forward and had a sarcastic sense of humor, while her mate, Afton, was on the quiet side. I made a mental note to maintain good relationships with Chelsea and Demetri- they were the ones that could potentially ruin our plan. I didn't want to get on their bad side.

Bella pulled me aside a little after I'd met everyone. "What are you doing?" she hissed.

"What?" I asked blankly.

"Stop talking to them! You can't trust them!"

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not trusting them. I'm just socializing. We can't be outcasts. That would look suspicious. Besides, isn't it better to know the enemy?"

Bella sighed and stormed off. I looked guiltily after her- maybe she was right. Maybe I should just stick to her plan. I looked out across the blue water as we rapidly approached the mainland, wondering how this had already turned into a mess.


	30. Chapter 30

I didn't focus much the rest of the ride. When we reached the mainland, I dutifully put on the dark cloak that I was given to mask my skin from the sunlight. I stared out at the passing streets as we rode in a car with tinted windows. I was only shocked back to reality when we arrived at an airport.

I shouldn't have been as surprised as I was- it wasn't as if we could drive to Italy. But a plane? I would have to stay in an enclosed aircraft with mostly human passengers? I wasn't sure if I could handle it without attacking someone. I had had little human contact on the island. I hadn't quite developed the resistance the rest of the Cullens had.

Bella noticed my uneasy expression as we boarded the flight, the other vampires grinning sadistically at their fellow human passengers to scare them. "Everything okay?" she whispered.

I shook my head. "What if I lose control?"

She pressed her lips together into a tight line. "I doubt Aro would let that happen. You know, protecting the secret and all that."

"It doesn't matter if he lets it happen or not, what if it does?"

"Then one of the guard will stop you," she said in a clipped tone.

"She's right," said Felix, appearing out of seemingly nowhere. He grinned. "Or do you think you can fight me off?" He flexed his muscles not-so-subtly.

Nonetheless, I still worried. As we entered the plane, I took a breath of only slightly human scented air, hoping it'd last me throughout the flight.

Aro seemed to be keen on seating arrangements. He assigned each member of the guard a seat, much to their displeasure. I wound up sitting between Felix and Chelsea, with Bella two rows behind us. I glanced back at her helplessly.

As the plane rumbled, I tried my best to relax, imagining Jasper was next to me instead. It didn't help much. I needed him to actually be there, with me.

I imagined the rest of the family making the move to Buffalo, New York. I'd learned that each Cullen got a turn to pick where to move next. Buffalo was Rosalie's choice- it wasn't too far from her hometown in Rochester.

Just after we took off, Chelsea pulled out a fashion magazine while Felix took out some sort of handheld device. That left me to be alone with my thoughts in the middle.

Of course, I first tried looking for visions, both for mine and Bella's future and the rest of the family. I gleaned that the Cullens would get to Buffalo without much trouble, which was a relief. As for Bella and I, I could only see that I wasn't going to attack anyone- yet. That could always change as I became thirstier.

After a few hours, I had to take another breath- my lungs, so used to breathing in and out at a normal tempo, finally lost control. It was at that moment every human scent in the plane hit me at once. A low hiss escaped from my throat and Chelsea and Felix held me down. Alec discreetly passed me a bag of blood from the row ahead of us. I eagerly ripped it open, only to pause as I realized it wasn't blood from a mountain lion or deer. This was pure human blood.

"What are you waiting for?" hissed Felix. "Drink it!"

And so I did. It was a thousand times better than any animal blood, despite the fact that some poor human had died so I could have this satisfaction. As the bag was drained, I instantly felt better.

Then, I noticed a lady across the aisle gaping at me. "Is that…"

"Cranberry juice," said Chelsea, smiling sweetly. "Sorry, my little sister is just crazy for that stuff." She added a convincing little laugh at the end.

The lady visibly relaxed and smiled back. Suddenly, her son, who couldn't have been more than five or six, piped up from next to her. "No, Mommy! That girl was drinking blood! She's a vampire!" He grinned mischievously at the end, and I knew he was just trying to be cute.

Still, Felix's hand, still on my arm, suddenly tensed. Aro, who was directly in front of Chelsea, also whipped towards the little boy. The boy had already gone back to his coloring book.

"What's the problem?" I asked my two seatmates.

Chelsea rolled her eyes. "He's coloring outside the lines, that's the problem. What do you think it is?"

"Seriously?" I laughed. "He's just a kid. So what if he guessed what we are?"

"No one can know," hissed Felix. "It's the law."

"But he doesn't actually know," I pointed out. "He was just kidding, in that way kids do."

"Yeah? What if he's not? And what happens when he grows up and tells people about the time he met a vampire in an airplane?"

"You guys are being ridiculous," I said. "He's, like, five years old. He'll probably forget by the time the plane lands."

"We'll dispose of him when we land," muttered Aro from ahead. His sharp tone made me freeze up, a hidden maternal instinct suddenly appearing.

"You can't kill him!" I yelped. People turned towards us curiously.

It was Felix who covered for me this time. He laughed loudly. "Alice, that's how chess works! You're supposed to kill the king."

Slowly, everyone drifted back to whatever they were doing. Felix's voice warned me. "If you don't shut up right now, we're all going to be in trouble. So it's best if you just sit quietly until we land."

I was never very religious, but I started praying to whatever divine being there was to, somehow, spare the little boy's life from the Volturi's wrath.


	31. Chapter 31

Before I realized it, a message from the pilot alerted me that we were going to land soon.

During the last hour, horrible visions had flashed across my mind- most gory and blood-drenched in a way that would have made my stomach turn a few months ago. Knowing it was the little boy's blood, it still did.

A crazy plan popped into my mind. The Cullens were mostly done packing and nearly had everything in Buffalo. All Bella and I had to do was find a good chance to escape the Volturi. What better chance than at the airport? I could grab the boy and we could run. What we'd do with the boy, I didn't know. We couldn't change him, at least not for another decade or so.

Still, the rational part of my brain knew trying to pull it off would only get all of us killed. There was no way Bella and I could escape a team of the most talented individuals in the vampire world. To attempt so would be suicide.

I looked back and forth between the boy, Chelsea, Felix, then back again. It was then I realized just how outnumbered vampires were in comparison to humans. The Volturi was, in some way, afraid of humans. If the secret got out, the only logical things that would occur would be one, an uprising to destroy all vampires, which would obviously fail. The only other thing that I could think of was people wanting to become one of us. And when they did, the vampire population would only grow. And when that happened, it was unlikely the Volturi would be in charge. There would be chaos everywhere. It would be similar to overthrowing a government.

I didn't see any of that in the near future, though. Whether that was good or bad, I didn't know.

The plane suddenly jerked, and I realized we were back on the ground. The boy was chattering excitedly to his mother- apparently, they were visiting the boy's cousin and his family. Little did he know he would probably never get a chance to see his "Cousin Ada."

The aircraft came to a complete stop. Sounds of seatbelts clicking apart filled the air. Slowly, everyone started to grab their hand baggage and exit.

The mother, holding the boy's hand, finally slid out into the aisle and started to shuffle to the front of the plane. Aro was quick to stay right on their heels.

"Get up," said Chelsea, pulling me up by the arm. She led me as Felix lurked behind. No way to escape, not now. I looked around Felix's hulking figure to catch a glimpse of Bella, sandwiched between Demetri and Jane. She seemed oblivious to the event about to occur.

The boy and his mother entered the airport, Aro still trailing them. His golden opportunity arrived.

"Mommy, I have to go pee," said the boy, looking towards the bathroom.

The mother glanced around. She clearly was skeptical about letting her son go alone, but it was either that or watch their baggage. "Alright, let me just find someone to watch our things for a moment, okay? Then I'll take you."

"No!" whined the boy. "I don't want to go in the girl's bathroom with you _again! _I'm a boy!"

The mother sighed. "Fine. Go. But don't take too long, okay? I'm going to be standing right out here."

The boy nodded and scurried through the door. Aro breezed in after him, smiling at the mother as he passed. I hoped that the bathroom would be crowded, so Aro would have no choice but to postpone his murderous plans.

"Come on," said Felix, pushing me away from the bathroom.

"Where are we going?" I asked, not moving.

"The other entrance," he said. When I still didn't move, my eyes transfixed on the bathroom door, he picked me up and swung me over his shoulder.

"Hey!" I yelled, drawing a few stares.

Felix smiled at the stares. "Sorry, my little sister is just a bit cranky right now. Long flight," he said, and continued walking. What was it with these Volturi guards pretending I was the little sister?

I wondered what would happen if I screamed that he was kidnapping me. Of course, any humans that happened to try to stop Felix would be no match.

When we reached the door on the opposite side, he dumped me on the floor. I ended up landing square on my butt. I'm sure it would have hurt if I wasn't a vampire.

The good news was that I hadn't heard any screams from the bathroom- yet. The bad news was Aro still hadn't exited.

It took forever until Aro came out, holding the boy as if he was sleeping. My breath stopped for a second, until I realized he was only knocked out, not dead.

"Felix, take the human," he said, dumping the boy into Felix's arms. To my surprise, Felix gently adjusted the boy so his head wouldn't loll around, and shifted him into a more comfortable position. If I had passed him without knowing his intentions, I would have assumed Felix was the boy's father. Maybe he wasn't quite the heartless Volturi guard I'd thought he was.

Still, the fact that he was all for killing the boy proved otherwise. The worst part was, I couldn't even see any reason as to why this child deserved to be killed. It wasn't his fault.

"Let's go," hissed Aro, walking casually through the airport. Dazed, I followed him. Why hadn't he killed the boy? The only reason I could see was that Aro saw some sort of potential in him and was waiting to change him. But the boy couldn't be much older than five, and Aro didn't have that kind of patience.

Felix read my mind. "He's going to kill him at the castle," he whispered to me. "Do you know how hard it would be to dispose of a body in the middle of the airport?"

I wanted to tell him that of course I didn't, because never in my life had I imagined I would have a need to do so. And now, here I was, parading through an airport with the most dangerous vampires in the world, all hell-bent on killing a five-year-old for simply having an active imagination. What had my life come to?

I managed to slow down enough until I was walking beside Bella. I imagined how panicked the boy's mother would be. It had been a good twenty minutes since he had entered the bathroom. Did she consider the possibility that she would never see her son again? No, she would have hope. But all the hope in the world couldn't save the boy.

"What do we do?" I whispered to Bella.

"What can we do?" she replied. "Just give it up, Alice. We can't save everyone."

She was right, but I wasn't worried about saving everyone. I just wanted to save one person. "Is there anything you can do?" I asked her.

She sighed. "I can stop Jane from torturing him. But if Aro decides to be pitiful and tells Alec to cut off his senses…"

"Don't stop him," I said quickly. Nothing could be worse than a painful death.

"Do you see anything?" asked Bella.

I shook my head. I was refraining from searching for visions- I was afraid what the future would hold. Whatever it was, I was sure it wouldn't be pretty.

A dark car with tinted windows pulled up, and we all piled in. To my surprise, the driver was human. His smell filled the air, but the blood bag Alec had given me in the plane hadn't worn off yet. I was sure I could refrain from attacking him for a few hours. He was a short man, dressed up very professionally but looking extremely nervous. Who wouldn't be, in a car full of vampires? I wonder if he was always their driver or if this was a one-time thing. Judging by his tense look, I would guess the second one.

His dull brown eyes flicked back and forth to the boy, still cradled in Felix's arms. I made sure to sit as close to Felix as possible, although as Bella said, there was nothing I could do.

I looked at the unconscious boy and wondered about _his _future. Not the current one, but what he would turn out to be if he hadn't mentioned anything about vampires. Would he be rich? Poor? Happy? Regretful? Even with my power, I couldn't answer those questions.

Then, in one second, it crashed down on me. This was _my _fault. If I had been able to control my thirst during the flight, I wouldn't have needed to drink the blood, and the boy would never have said anything.

It's a pretty bitter moment when you realize someone is going to die because of you. Especially when that someone was just a little boy.

The car turned and the Volturi castle came in sight. As gorgeous as it was, I couldn't help but feel a sickening feeling.

The kind of feeling when death is approaching.


	32. Chapter 32

"Move over," said Felix. I realized I was blocking the door. When I still didn't move out of the car, he sighed.

"You can't do anything about it. You can't save him. Just save yourself, Alice. Listen to orders...or it'll be much worse than seeing a human die."

I stared at him a for a long moment before sliding out. Felix, holding the boy, exited after.

We entered the castle through some secret passageway away from curious human stares. I was still wearing the cloak I'd been given, but now, it felt heavy on my shoulders.

"Take him to the throne room," demanded Aro.

Felix dipped his head in acknowledgement and proceeded to head there.

Heidi suddenly appeared next to me. "Come on," she said.

"Where?"

"Your room."

I didn't see why I needed a room- I didn't have many belongings and I had no need to sleep. Still, I followed Heidi through long hallways until she pushed open a mahogany door.

I couldn't help but gasp. Patterned tiles covered the floor. A plush bed with golden covers took up a large amount of space. A tasteful chest was at its feet, and surrounding it were two massive wooden wardrobes, the same color as the door.

Heidi walked over to the bed and took a seat. "Welcome to our room."

_"Our_ room?" I asked.

She nodded. "Aro doesn't trust you yet. I'm your temporary babysitter."

"What about Bella?"

"She's with Chelsea. Aro distrusts her even more."

"I figured," I muttered.

She stood up. "That wardrobe is yours. The other is mine. Don't even dare touch my things, or I'll invite Jane for a visit," she said, smiling innocently. "The bathroom is connected through that door. Tell me before you go."

I rolled my eyes. "What is this, elementary school?"

"No," she said. Her eyes dropped down. "But it is like a prison," she said quietly.

I was taken aback. A guard member, comparing the castle to a prison? It was unheard of. That was like me calling the Cullens my enemies.

Heidi's head snapped back up. "I'm going to talk to Aro. Stay here," she warned before heading out.

I didn't hesitate to take action. As soon as the coast was clear, I was sneaking off towards the throne room.

The three vampire kings were there, along with a few close trusted members of the guard. Felix held the boy upright. He was starting to regain consciousness.

I suddenly backed away from the doorway. I didn't want to see this.

"Alec?" said Aro, presumably asking him to use his talent on the boy. At least it wouldn't be painful.

I suddenly turned and ran, gasping heavily. I couldn't save him. I didn't even have the courage to watch what I had caused. As someone was enjoying a tasty meal in the throne room, I ran back to my room.

Heidi found me laying in the bed silently a few hours later. "What's up with you?" she asked, going through her wardrobe.

I burrowed my face deeper into the pillow. "He's dead," I said. It came out muffled, but Heidi understood.

"So?" she said. "You didn't know him, did you?"

"No, but-"

"Then it doesn't matter," she said. "People die every day. This one just happened to be here when it happened."

She wouldn't understand that I knew people died every day, but this was the first time it was because of me.

I missed Jasper horribly. He would know what to do. The only thing that made our separation seem better was that I knew he was safe. And, in the end, that was what I cared most about.

Heidi sighed. "Great. _I _had to be stuck with the whiny roommate. I told Chelsea we should rock-paper-scissors for it, but…" she shook her head. "I'm going shopping. Don't leave the castle." She pranced out of the room, pulling on a dark burgundy sweater.

As soon as she left, Bella walked in. "Get up," she said, pulling my legs off the bed.

"No," I moaned into the pillow. Why couldn't anyone leave me alone?

"Stop sulking. Do you want to see Jasper again or not?" she hissed quietly, so anyone listening wouldn't be able to hear.

I looked up at her. "What kind of a question is that? Of course I do."

"Then get up. We need a plan. I refuse to stay away from my husband and daughter because you want to mourn someone you hardly knew."

Unwillingly, I rolled over. "Fine. What's the plan?"

She sighed in frustration. "With this roommate situation, it's going to be much harder to escape. Not to mention the guard lurking around. I say our best chance is when we get an opportunity to leave the castle."

"And when will that be? We aren't trusted here. And even if Aro does somehow let us leave temporarily, it most definitely wouldn't be together."

Bella sighed again. "I know. That's the problem."

"The only thing we can do is gain their trust," I said. "But who knows how long that will take? It could be anywhere from weeks to centuries."

"I'll wait," said Bella fiercely. "I'll wait as long as we need to, but I swear, I will not die without seeing my family again."

I sighed heavily. She was right. We both had people that were worth fighting for, even if our "fighting" was waiting, even if it meant years. So I took a deep breath and replied. "We have to make bonds with them," I whispered. "Form friendships, alliances."

I could tell it repulsed Bella. "I'm not sure," she said. "It's hard, Alice. Just a few years ago, these creatures were going to kill Edward, they were going to hurt my family. And now I have to become best friends with them?"

"You don't have to," I pointed out. "You just have to pretend to."

Bella winced. "That's just as bad."

"Come on, Bells," I said. "What about that year you took Drama? That has to pay off, right?"

She laughed as she recalled freshman year, when she'd decided to take the Drama elective at school. Her acting skills were horrible, and she knew it. "I'll try," she promised.

"Think about Edward and Nessie. They need you, Bella."

"I know," she said. "And Jasper needs you. So we will get out of here, no matter what."

"No matter what," I echoed. Determination was clear in my tone. We'd get back to Buffalo...no matter what.

* * *

**A/N: I'm not one to usually complain about review counts, but the last few chapters haven't been getting as many as the rest of the story. I really love hearing from you guys, so if you could spare a few seconds to give me some feedback, I'd really appreciate it :D **


	33. Chapter 33

"Let's go socialize," Bella grumbled, standing up.

I laughed and followed her out of the room. We wandered around until we bumped into none other than the crown jewel of the Volturi- Jane. To my relief, Alec was trailing behind her. Hopefully, she wouldn't do anything too rash with her twin around.

"Alice. Bella," greeted Alec politely. Out of everyone I had met here so far, he had been the most accepting of Bella and I joining them. I wondered exactly how many members he'd seen come and go over the centuries.

I nodded politely back as Jane scowled. "You know, Alec," she said in a sugary-sweet voice as she ignored us, "I doubt the newcomers can even do what they say they can. How do we know they aren't faking?"

"Jane," Alec said in a hard tone. "Be polite."

Bella smiled at Jane. "Jane, I see you've seemed to forgotten about my shield. Remember? The one you _couldn't break through?" _

Jane hissed in anger and I elbowed Bella. We were supposed to be making friends, not enemies. But then again, being friends with Jane seemed impossible.

"What about her?" Jane spat, nodding towards me. "Seeing the future is almost unheard of in our kind. Why should I believe she can do it?"

"Why not?" I said defensively, before I realized how hypocritical I was being. Hadn't I just been annoyed at Bella for provoking Jane?

Alec rested a hand on Jane's shoulder. "Jane, leave it alone," he said calmly.

I expected Jane to spit out something rude and ignore Alec. To my surprise, she grimaced at Bella and I then stalked away.

Alec lingered behind. "Sorry about that. Jane...takes time to warm up to people," he said with a wry smile. "I almost forgot. Aro wants the both of you to meet him in the throne room."

Bella and I exchanged a fleeting glance. "Alright," I said hesitantly as we followed him.

Aro was seated upon his throne as the two of us entered. A creepy smile crept across his deathly pale features. "Ah, Alice, Bella," he greeted, his smile growing wider. "I've been waiting."

Neither of us said anything.

Aro continued, our silence not bothering him in the least. "As we know, you are new to the Volturi. As with the Cullens, we too have a few...rules." He paused. "First off, you will not leave the castle without permission from either myself, Caius, or Marcus. Secondly, if you do gain permission, you will not leave without a chaperone. Now, the next and final rule is the most important. You will not, under no circumstances, expose us."

It was as if his words echoed around the room. "Now, Alec," he said. "You know very well what breaking these rules will cause, do you not?"

"Yes, Master," said Alec obediently. "The punishment for all and any rule-breaking is death."

Aro chuckled darkly. "Very good. Now, about the newcomers…" he extended a hand out to Bella and I. It took no words to know what he wanted.

"No," said Bella sharply.

Aro raised his eyebrows. "No?"

"Our loyalties lie with you, Aro," I said quickly. "However, we will not allow our minds to betray the Cullen's secrets. We have left them, but they have been civil to us. We extend the same kindness to them."

Aro looked suspicious, but replied, "Very well. You may leave."

The three of us turned to exit. As we approached the door, Aro spoke. "Alice?"

I turned back towards him. "Yes?"

"You may address me as Master Aro," he said in a flat voice, but I could hear the tone of strict order beneath.

"Alright..._Master _Aro," I said, and left. I would be lying if I said I didn't mean to mock him a little at the end. Alec, after a quick glance, wandered off. Bella and I remained. "How are we supposed to leave now?" I said in a low voice.

But Bella's eyes lit up. "To hunt. Aro can't lure animals in here the way he does humans. Unless they can somehow capture a lion and bring it here, we'll have to feed eventually."

"And what if Aro forces us to change to the 'normal' vampire diet?"

Bella shook her head. "Carlisle stayed here with them for a few years, remember? Aro tried to get him to hunt humans, but Carlisle refused. Aro didn't force him. We just do the same."

I suppose I still looked unsure, because Bella went on. "Besides, the less humans Aro has to bring in here, the less chance of exposure, right?"

"I guess you're right," I whispered. I looked at her eyes, which were still a dark gold. Mines were probably a bright red- I remembered the bag of human blood I'd been given in the airplane. My stomach turned as I thought of it again. I couldn't help but remember how much better compared to animal blood it had been.

Yet, I was determined to stick to the Cullen diet. I had seen a difference in those who drank human blood as compared to animal blood. There was something more feral about them, something that made me uncomfortable. They seemed so much less...humane. Besides, if I wanted to get rid of these ghastly red irises, I would have to turn back to animal blood. "But we still have at least a week before our eyes are dark enough for him to see that we're thirsty enough to hunt."

"A week isn't so bad," said Bella.

"We have to prepare," I said. "It's either we escape, or get killed."

"I know," murmured Bella. She sighed quietly. "The Volturi don't give second chances."


	34. Chapter 34

The wait was long. Every few hours I'd check in the mirror only to see that my eyes had hardly darkened. Since Bella and I technically weren't supposed to be together, I hung around the other Volturi members, letting them know that they could trust me.

After our conversation about the plan, Bella and I went our separate ways. I padded along the long hallways until I bumped into Chelsea and her mate, Afton. Chelsea was carrying a rather large mound of clothes in her arms. "I was just looking for you," she said.

"Me?" I asked in surprise. "Why?"

She dumped the pile of clothing into my arms. "These are for you," she said. "As the only person who cares about the Volturi and the guard's appearances, I can definitely say that you don't fit in dressed like _that. _You better go change."

I looked down at my clothes. I hadn't bothered to change since we'd left the island, and I was still in a blue t-shirt and leggings I'd had to roll up that I'd borrowed from Bella. If I was being honest, Bella's fashion choices weren't always the best. I hadn't focused on it too much at the island because most of my time was being spent with a certain blond-haired vampire, but now, I wondered how the clothes I'd been borrowing for the past few months had slipped my scrutiny so easily. I hadn't even gone shopping in _ages. _

That thought gnawed at my mind. Since Bella had "died," I hadn't quite been the same. Where was the Alice who spent hours creating the perfect outfit? The one who cared if her makeup was done perfectly? With Bella, she'd disappeared. I missed that Alice now. Maybe, with Chelsea's "gift," I could bring the old Alice out to play for a few minutes...or hours.

"Thank you," I said to Chelsea. I genuinely meant it, too.

She winked at me. "Call me if you need help matching your shoes to the rest of your outfit," she said, and walked away. Of course, I immediately looked down. Oh my god, was I really wearing _orange flip flops? _

I took the clothes to the room I shared with Heidi and dumped them on the bed before sorting through them. Chelsea actually had a great sense of style. I was just admiring the last top before I noticed the cloak, similar to the ones the rest of the Volturi wore. I froze as I saw it. Would I be expected to wear it? That would be giving into the enemy completely.

I reminded myself that I might not even have to wear it- it was only worn when they left the castle, and there was no reason I had to do so. With that thought in mind, I relaxed slightly, but still tossed the cloak into the back of the wardrobe pushed against the wall.

After a shower just for the sake of feeling human again, I finally dressed in a cute flowy red top with dark jeans and matching flats. In a good mood, I hummed as I brushed my hair after ages and even put on a dab of lip gloss.

Bella sneaked in a while later, looking over her shoulder to make sure no one was following her. She saw me and abruptly stopped. "What are you doing?" she asked.

I twirled around to show her my outfit. "Do you like it? Chelsea gave some clothes to me, which was really nice of her, do you want to borrow some? I mean, she had a lot, and I'm sure some could fit you-"

She held a hand up as if telling me to stop. "_Chelsea _gave you those?" I noticed the sharp tone of her voice.

"Yeah, so?" I asked, crossing my arms.

She threw her hands up in aggravation. "Alice, we can't be friendly with these people! They're our enemies!" she exclaimed loudly.

My eyes widened as I threw my hand over her mouth. "Shh," I hissed in annoyance. "What if someone hears you?"

Her eyes widened as well as she noticed her mistake. She pulled my hand off her mouth and sighed. "Sorry. But seriously, Ali, we can't start forming relationships," she whispered. Her eyes suddenly shone with a hint of sadness. "If you do, it'll only make it harder to leave."

I was about to argue when Heidi walked in. She stared at Bella. "You aren't supposed to be here," she said in a strict tone, like a mother might do with a misbehaving child.

Bella threw her a dirty look before stalking out. I glanced at her disappearing figure with my eyebrows knitting together in worry.

Heidi looked after her in disgust, which annoyed me incredibly. But, turning to me, she said, "Come on."

"Where?" I asked.

She sighed. "Aro wants Demetri, Jane, and I to check out some unruly newborns around Latvia. We'll definitely be gone for a while, so Renata will be babysitting you."

"Renata?" I asked blankly. I had heard the name, but I couldn't quite recall her role in the Volturi.

"She's Aro's personal bodyguard," said Heidi. "You'll probably be around Aro a lot these next few days, since she's practically glued to his side." Her tone turned bitter. Was she jealous of not getting all of her precious master's attention?

Heidi shook her head. "Let's go," she said, and zipped with vampire speed down the halls. I didn't hesitate to follow her. The wind felt good on my face, but it also brought sadness- running so freely only reminded me of my Jasper, of how he'd taken me on his motorcycle around the island so long ago. Just a few more weeks, I reminded myself, and then I would be with him once again.

* * *

**A/N: I'm so sorry for not updating sooner. Updates will definitely be more frequent from now on, I promise. Thanks to thatonefangirl1128 for reminding me to update as well as being the 150th reviewer for this fic! **


	35. Chapter 35

I had never met Renata before. However, it wasn't hard to identify her when we entered the throne room. Aro was talking in a low voice to Demetri and Jane. Besides them, Renata was lingering close behind Aro.

Renata was not much taller than me, I guessed she was around five feet. She had gorgeous black hair that flowed down her back past her tiny waist. However, when she turned towards me, I had no words to describe her face besides _dead. _Her deep red eyes were sunken deep into her face and her lips were drawn together in a thin line. I had a feeling that with her as my babysitter, these few weeks were going to be extremely dull.

However, Renata was always where Aro was. And there was no way Aro would want me around when he had his top-secret meetings with Caius and Marcus. Hopefully, this would mean I'd get a bit of freedom.

"This is Alice," said Heidi to Renata. "She'll be under your guard until I'm back. Keep a good eye on her." I could hear the underlying threat in her tone. Renata just sighed in reply. Heidi didn't spare a glance as she ran off.

It was then I noticed Aro curiously staring at me. "Well, Alice," he said. "I've been meaning to discuss an _issue _with you," he smiled creepily.

"Issue?" I asked blankly, sounding like an ignorant five-year-old.

"You see," he said, "As I expect Heidi to have told you, several members of our guard have recently left to Latvia to control the newborn situation there have there." I nodded, still confused. "I feel as if this would be a marvelous opportunity for you to display the true ability of your powers, don't you think so?"

It was as if ice water had been injected into my body. This entire plan had depended on Aro not asking us any favors. What he was asking was impossible. To help the enemy would be an ultimate betrayal to the Cullens...to my family.

"Alice?" Aro asked. "Are you alright?" There was no concern in his tone.

"Yes," I stammered. "Yes. Sorry, I was just...daydreaming."

He stared at me for a second. "As I was saying," he continued, "I would like you to make sure that everything will go smoothly for Demetri, Jane, and Heidi. After all, I can't risk losing them, can I?" He grinned in a way that made me shift uncomfortably.

"Of course not," I muttered. I sighed and let my mind focus on the three of them. The scene around me changed until I was seeing their future.

What I saw horrified me. One at a time, Jane took her turn inflicting pain upon them, while Heidi and Demetri made sure the other seven or eight didn't escape. Slowly, Jane smiled cruelly and stepped towards the young vampire writhing in pain. Grabbing him by the hair, she twisted until his head snapped off.

My gasp brought me back to the throne room. Aro was watching me, one eyebrow arched up in curiosity. I panicked- should I lie or tell the truth? Which would benefit me more? "Everything is...well," I stuttered.

"Do you mind if I have a look?" he asked, extending his hand towards me.

I clasped my hands behind my back. Saying no to Aro would mean losing his trust completely. Saying yes would mean he'd find out about the plan and Bella and I would most likely end up dead before the end of the hour.

Aro's face was just twisting with impatience when the scent of human filled my nose. Renata, Aro and I turned towards the door to see a human girl, no more than eighteen or nineteen, standing there. She looked extremely flustered. What was a human doing in the Volturi castle? "Master Aro," she said, bowing slightly, "there is someone here to see you."

Aro sighed dramatically. "Who is it, Cara?"

Cara blushed. "The Japanese vampires, Master."

Aro sighed again. "Very well. I'm coming."

Cara nodded and left. Aro gazed at me for a long moment before gliding to the exit. Renata followed him without paying me any heed. I took this chance to have some time to myself.

Firstly, I decided to explore the castle. I hadn't had a chance to do that yet, and besides, wasn't it useful to know the enemy's lair? Esme would most definitely have some questions about the architecture, I thought with a smile. And Jasper, of course, would want to know all about its history.

The thought of Jasper caused my smile to melt away. How was he doing, I wondered? I wished I could talk to him. He would've known what to do. I suddenly had the feeling that this was all a big mistake. There was still time for me to screw up. It would be _my _fault if anyone got hurt- not Bella's, mines. I just hoped that this would be all over with soon.


	36. Chapter 36

I had to admit the castle was stunning. Tall pillars loomed above me, reaching towards a beautifully decorated ceiling. The floor was pure marble, with patterned tiles beneath my feet. Still, the grandness of the castle had me missing the simple elegance of the Cullen's home. What I wouldn't give to go back again.

As I passed a mirror upon the wall, I glanced at my eyes. To my surprise, they were finally turning orangish, not the deep red I had grown used to. Besides that, they were also darkening, to my delight. I guessed a day or two until they were dark enough to finally hunt.

In a better mood, I glided around the castle to find Bella. I found her sitting miserably with Marcus in a dining room which the Volturi surely didn't need. Marcus was gleefully telling her about his various adventures over the years with wild hand motions and a huge grin. Bella, polite as ever, feigned interest but I could tell she would have liked nothing better than to get out of there.

I sashayed to the duo and smiled at Bella, sinking into the chair next to her. "What are you doing?" she hissed.

"Getting you out of this," I whispered. "Marcus?" I asked normally.

He looked at me with raised eyebrows. Panic fluttered in my chest- was I supposed to call him Master as well?

"Yes?" he said warily.

I smiled at him. "I think Aro was looking for you."

Marcus pressed his lips together tightly. "Are you sure?"

He would end up leaving, I saw with a vision. "Yes," I replied confidently.

Marcus sighed and stood up. "Very well." He ran off, giving Bella and I some privacy.

Her eyes were darker than mine, but not by much. "Look at my eyes," I breathed, in case of eavesdroppers.

"They're getting darker," she murmured.

"I know," I said. "I'm guessing a few days until they let us hunt."

She bit her lip. "I'm still not sure this will work."

I blinked in surprise. "Don't you want to see Edward and Nessie?"

She rolled her eyes. "Of course I do. But what we're doing...it's a big risk. We could just as easily fail."

"We won't," I assured her. "You have your shield. I have my visions. And don't forget we have Jake's blood, which will make us untrackable. There's nothing to be afraid of."

"I don't know," she said. "Alice, I'm exhausted. I've had my shield up this whole time to stop Chelsea from messing with our emotional ties. I don't know how much longer I can keep it up. I'm drained, Alice."

I sighed heavily. "Then don't, Bella. It's okay. We'll avoid it...somehow," I added.

Bella sighed. "Ali, Chelsea's power is incredibly strong. I'm not sure if we could avoid being affected."

I chewed my lip in frustration. "Bella, don't overwork yourself. We need the shield more when we actually escape than now."

Bella pursed her lips. "I think I can keep it up. But we have to leave as soon as we can."

"Of course," I said. "I'll ask Aro if we can go tomorrow. I mean, our eyes are pretty dark, right?"

"I guess," she said, a bit unsure.

"We'll get back to our family," I promised her. I ran to the throne room. I was surprised to see that Aro wasn't there. After taking a round around the castle, I found him in the garden, of all places.

"Alice," he greeted cheerfully as he examined a patch of flowers. "The roses are doing well, aren't they?"

"Uh, yeah," I mumbled. "I actually had a question."

His attention shifted to me. "What is it?"

"I was wondering if Bella and I could hunt soon. We're pretty thirsty."

He raised an eyebrow. "I'll send someone to get some blood bags."

"No!" I exclaimed. "I mean...with all due respect, we prefer animal blood. I understand that it's the Cullen's diet, and that we're no longer associated with them, but old habits die hard," I babbled.

He looked skeptical, but sighed. "Alright. You can go tonight, and Bella can go tomorrow."

I froze. "We aren't going together?"

Aro laughed. "Of course not. That would be too risky. Unless you could show me that it wouldn't?" He smirked, holding out a hand in invitation.

"We'll go separately," I said immediately.

He smiled. "Alright. I'll send Alec to go with you. Alec!" He called, knowing that he'd hear with his vampire ears. Sure enough, Alec was next to me in the blink of an eye. "Take Alice hunting," Aro ordered before running off.

Alec studied me curiously. "Let's go," he said after a while. I silently followed him out of a passage that would keep our glimmering skin away from human eyes while pondering how I would do this. Why did Alec have to be the one to take me? Bella's shield was surely out of range by now. If I tried to escape, I'd be paralyzed by his power within seconds. Unless...could I negotiate with Alec? To me, he'd seemed a little more human than the rest of the Volturi. Could I appeal to him somehow? It was a huge risk.

When we reached a small clearing, Alec stopped. "Go ahead," he said. "Go hunt."

I looked up at him, trying to look as harmless as possible. "Actually, I have a request."

His eyebrows shot up. "A request."

"Yes." I paused. "Bella and I were planning to escape."

"Hmmm," he hummed nonchalantly.

"You aren't surprised?"

"No. You both are terrible actresses. You're lucky the rest of the Volturi didn't see that. If I guessed correctly, this would have been the time when you would have escaped, right? With Bella's shield protecting you."

"You're right," I said grudgingly. "Was our plan that easy to see through?"

He shrugged. "Maybe I'm just observant."

"Maybe," I murmured. "Anyway, what if I asked you to help us escape?"

"That would be going against Master Aro," he deadpanned.

Embarrassment crept over me. I shouldn't have expected Alec to betray Aro. "You're right," I said. "But could you at the very least not tell Aro?" I pleaded.

He smirked. "I never said I wouldn't help you escape."

Shock replaced embarrassment. "Really?" He just smiled softly in reply. "Why?"

"Why not?" He pointed out. "No one will find out I helped, I'm sure of that. I needed a little excitement anyway."

"But what about Aro wanting our powers?" I pointed out.

He rolled his eyes. "Don't flatter yourself. You aren't as special as you think. With vampire numbers increasing, I'm sure there's another psychic and shield somewhere that are more willing to join."

I sagged in relief. "Thank you."

"But I have one condition," he continued.

"Anything."

"You will never tell anyone besides Bella about my help. Not Aro, not the Cullens, no one. And you will never get involved with the Volturi ever again." I could hear the threat in his tone. I suddenly realized that to some extent, Aro feared Carlisle and his coven. After all, we were one of the biggest covens in North America, with more than several talented members.

"I promise," I replied.

"Good," he said. "Now, here's what we're going to do. You are going to come back with me to the castle. You will tell Aro that there were some humans hiking, therefore you could not hunt. Then I will offer to take both you and Bella hunting tomorrow morning. Then you can do whatever you want. Got it?"

I nodded.

"Just a warning, it won't take Aro long to realize you're gone. He'll have Demetri on your trail before you know it."

"We have a way around that," recalling the vial of Jacob's blood that Bella had.

"Good. Let's go," he said, heading back towards the castle. A new excitement buzzed in my veins.

I didn't need a vision to tell me that Bella and I were going to make it back.

* * *

**A/N: At this point, it's probably clear that this story is coming to an end. While there will not be a sequel, I did put a poll on my profile regarding which kind of story you all would like to see me write next. If you guys voted, I'd really appreciate it. **


	37. Chapter 37

As soon as Alec and I entered the castle, I ran to find Bella. I found her sitting stiffly on a chair in the dining room, alone with her head bowed down. "Bella?" I asked.

Her head snapped up. "Ali!" she crowed. "What are you doing here? I heard that you went to hunt because Aro wouldn't let us go together. I thought you would leave."

"Not without you," I said. "Edward would kill me."

She laughed weakly. "You missed your chance."

"No, I didn't," I grinned. I explained Alec's plan to her.

She pursed her lips when I finished speaking. "How do you know we can trust him?"

I shrugged. "It's a risk we'll have to take."

She took a deep breath. "Alright. Tomorrow, then."

"Tomorrow."

During the night, I tried to lay down and sleep in whatever way I could as a vampire. Still, my arms jittered with excitement and my legs ached to run away from here and to be in Jasper's arms. How long had it been since I'd last seen him? A month? However much time had passed, it was too long.

Rather than using my visions, it was my own imagined future that finally helped me relax. I could imagine it-Bella and I would run away from the castle to the airport, and then we'd get on the earliest flight to Buffalo. After the agonizingly long flight, we'd get off at the airport and I'd finally see him, my Jasper, and he'd have that beautiful smile on his face and his golden eyes would light up with joy as I ran into his arms. And everything would be perfect.

In my mind, though, I knew my picture-perfect reunion would be the best case scenario. In the meantime, there were a million different things that could go wrong. I snapped myself away from my fantasy and forced myself to focus on the real future.

I saw Bella and I talking to Alec in the woods. After a quick goodbye and thank you, we were off. So far, so good. I skimmed through it without paying too much attention to details. We got on the plane. We made it home. To my delight, it was close to what I had imagined.

There was a gentle knock on my door, and I opened it to see Alec with a wicked smile on his face. "Ready to go?" he asked.

I nodded. "Where's Bella?"

"Right here," her voice said as she walked over to us. "I'm ready."

There was utter silence as the three of us left the castle. As soon as we were a good distance away, Alec stopped. "I'm not going any farther," he muttered. "Good luck."

"Thank you," I said genuinely. "Thank you so much."

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure. Goodbye, Alice, Bella." With that, he ran off.

I turned to Bella. We didn't have much time before they knew we were gone. Bella was ready with the bottle of Jacob's blood. "Here," she said, shoving it towards me.

I wrinkled my nose when I uncorked it. It seemed to stink more from being bottled up so long. As disgusting as it seemed, I doused myself with half the bottle and passed it to Bella, who did the same.

As soon as we were sure our scent was hidden and that Bella's shield was up, we ran towards the Pisa International Airport, keeping out of the public eye as much as possible. We had no idea when the next flight was, but it was hopefully soon.

I kept an eye out for any trouble, easing up more when we neared the airport. Victory was so close. A vision suddenly hit me like a truck and I skidded to a stop. "Alice?" asked Bella in a panicked voice. "What's wrong?

"They're there," I whispered in shock. "Jane. Felix. Demetri. They know we're gone. They're waiting for us."  
Bella swore loudly, a rarity for her. "We don't even know where the next closest airport is."

"We could ask someone," I suggested. "Or we could go and try to find a computer and search it up."

"Looking like this?" she asked, gesturing to our blood-stained, ragged clothes. "Besides, when they realize we're not at the Pisa airport, that's the next place they would look. They might even have split up already."

I let out a cry of frustration and let my head fall into my hands. "We're dead. They will not let us go alive. Remember what Alec said? If they find out we betrayed them, they wouldn't hesitate to kill us. They don't even need us as much anymore. We're just as replaceable as anything else."

Bella chewed her lip. "There's still one option."

I realized what she was thinking. "Are you sure? That would take days."

"There's no other way," she whispered. "We have to swim there."

* * *

**A/N: So...this is the last official chapter of A Dead Girl's Diary. The next and final update will be the epilogue. It's hard to believe that after almost two years, this story is finally almost over. It's been a long journey, but totally worth it because of you guys. Thank you for sticking with Alice throughout her journey, and see you for the epilogue! **


	38. Chapter 38

It took us exactly ten days of swimming, hiding from passing ships, and getting lost before reaching New York. Frankly, I was so sick of the ocean that I never wanted to see it again.

We had run to Buffalo as fast as we could while keeping out of the public eye. We'd finally smelled the Cullens and followed the scent here, to a large, pale blue house that was obviously Esme's work. Now, I hesitated outside of the looming doorway. There were so many things that could have changed in the time we were gone. What if they had been caught? What if we were too late? What if...what if Jasper decided he didn't want me? I didn't think I could handle the pain of either possibility.

Bella gripped the doorknob and turned it.

The door opened to reveal a bright, open area with delicate furniture and large windows. My new home. It seemed foreign, yet deeply familiar.

Edward, sitting at his piano with Renesmee, was the first to spot us. His eyes glued to Bella, he ignored me, ran towards her, and hugged her fiercely. I didn't mind. I had my own mate to look for.

I took my time meandering through the house looking for Jasper. It seemed most of the family was out hunting-the rooms were eerily empty.

I found Jasper in the library. He wasn't reading as I had expected, but rather staring out the window solemnly. I couldn't see his face from the doorway, and I nervously wondered what his expression was.

He turned as soon as he sensed my presence. His eyes, a soft gold, lit up as his lips parted slightly. "Alice?" he whispered.

My mouth curved into a smile as I looked up at him.

He rose and slowly walked towards me until I could hear him breathing softly. "I missed you," we both said at the same time. I exploded into a fit of nervous giggles. Why was I so nervous? It was Jasper I was talking to, not a stranger.

He smiled widely and reached for my hands. When my skin met his, I instantly relaxed. His touch was gentle, but it still send pleasant shocks of electricity up my arms and down my spine. "Come on," he laughed softly. "We have all of eternity together. Right now, the rest of the family probably wants to see you as well."

Eternity. I smiled at that. "Let's go," I agreed.

Before I could react, he picked me up and ran to the living room, where the rest of the family had assembled. I fell into everyone's arms, hugging everyone tightly as emotions flooded my body.

Jasper smiled at me across the room as he felt what I did. "I love you," I mouthed to him.

He laughed a little, giddy from the flood of emotions. "Love you too."

Here was where I belonged-not with my father in Forks, not with the Volturi, but _here, _with the ones I loved more than the world itself. It was like every moment I'd been through had been leading up to now.

And it was all because of a dead girl's diary.

* * *

**The End.**


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